


The Danvers Sisters- We Should Come with a Warning

by swanqueenfic13



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Exploring the relationship, Family Relationships - Freeform, Fluff and Angst, Gen, IIt'll be a mix, Sisters, The Danvers Sisters - Freeform, i don't know guys, little Alex, little Kara, strangers to sisters
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2017-11-24
Packaged: 2018-08-21 23:27:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 29
Words: 56,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8264366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanqueenfic13/pseuds/swanqueenfic13
Summary: Just some Supergirl one-shots. They won't necessarily all exist in the same universe, but they will all explore the relationship between Kara and Alex and how it grew when Kara first arrived on Earth. My first Supergirl work so please be constructive with your criticisms!





	1. When Kara Accidentally Kicked Alex out of the Closet

**Author's Note:**

> i wasn't actually planning on posting this yet because it's still kind of rough, but it's national coming out day, so I guess it's a fitting time. Un-beta'd so all mistakes are mine! Enjoy!

It wasn’t supposed to have been like this, Kara mourned. She didn’t mean to. It had been an accident. How could she have known that such a careless mistake could have these repercussions?

 

“Hi, I’m Emmy. You must be Alex’s foster sister.” The girl is a bit shorter than Alex with beautifully soft brown eyes, light blonde hair and a wide, easy smile. Kara blinks in surprise. This is the first friend of Alex’s that Kara has been allowed to meet since her pod landed almost two months ago (Eliza and Jeremiah wanted to be sure she had control over her strength and a better grasp of the English language, but Alex just wanted to give her time to be less  _ weird _ ). 

“H-hello,” she stammers nervously. Alex’s cheeks flush pink and Kara can hear her heart rate increase; it always does when she’s afraid Kara is going to act weird. “I’m Kara.” Emmy, the girl with perfectly smooth skin and little specks of sun (Kara thinks they’re called freckles) all over her cheeks and nose, holds out her hand. Kara pauses a moment, trying to figure out if she should stand first. Behind Emmy’s back, Alex is practically pulling her hair out, mouthing for Kara to shake her hand. Standing quickly, Kara grasps the girl’s hand, careful not to squeeze too hard.

“Kara. That’s a pretty name,” Emmy smiles. Kara finds it’s impossible not to smile back. It’s nice interacting with someone who isn’t Eliza, Jeremiah, Alex or the postman. 

“Okay, um, Kara, Emmy and I are going upstairs to… work on… homework and, like, stuff. Studying. And things. Don’t bug us,” Alex interrupts, putting a hand on each of Emmy’s shoulders and steering her towards the stairs. Kara wants to frown. What if she needed something from their room? But Alex is gone before Kara can ask, and besides, what could she possibly need from there?

 

Almost an hour later, Kara realizes she needs her notebook. The Danvers had found an online educational program for Kara to enroll in until the next fall, and she was hurriedly trying to catch up on year’s worth of history lessons, grammar exercises, and math worksheets. She kept all of her notes and work in a big blue notebook which was currently sitting on her bed. Kara wanted to just march in there, grab her notebook, and come finish her history lessons on the native peoples from this region. Unfortunately, Alex told her not to come in.

“I’ll just go up there and knock,” Kara whispers to herself, tiptoeing up the stairs. She didn’t necessarily  _ mean _ to overhear. Sometimes, her super hearing just… turns itself on. Kara heard two accelerated heart rates, the smacking of mouths, and breathy exhales. She pauses right in front of the door. Before she can even  _ think _ of what to do, it’s like her eyes just… decide for her. Kara’s x-ray vision kicks in and she’s seeing through the wooden door. 

She didn’t  _ want to. _ If Kara had any say, she would  _ not _ have the image of Alex- her surly, bitter, and secretly caring and protective older foster sister- being straddled by Emmy. Kara would have never violated Alex’s privacy like that, but it was like watching a car crash (a phrase Kara had proudly picked up from her avid watching of daytime television). She couldn’t stop watching as Emmy pulled Alex’s shirt from her body. Clumsy hands and hushed noises of pleasure. After a moment, Kara has the decency to look away and hurry back downstairs.

Sitting in the living room, Kara ponders what she’d just seen. Of course it was natural. On Krypton, there were no boundaries to love. Men could marry men, or women, or people who preferred neither title. Kara had been struggling to figure out if there were the same rules here. She smiles to herself, please that it was true. 

Still, it was rude to spy, so Kara didn’t mention anything when Emmy left later that afternoon, just smiled politely and waved.

 

It happened over dinner. Kara didn’t mean for this to happen. She had just been sitting, eating her third helping of chicken and rice when the conversation shifted to Alex’s friends. Namely, Emmy.

“So, Kara, you met Emmy today. First of Alex’s friends,” Eliza grins after chatting with Alex about their progress on their studies. “Was everything alright? Was Emmy nice?” Kara’s ears detect an increase in pulse, and Alex’s cheeks have started to burn. Kara can tell by the sound of fingernails scratching denim that Alex is the nervous perpetrator. Kara smiles at her to show that she has no ill will towards Alex’s choice of partner. She takes a moment to find the right words.

“Alex’s girlfriend is very nice,” she finally says. Eliza and Jeremiah laugh while Alex clenches her jaw, cheeks flaming red now.

“Kara, I think you’re a little confused. A girlfriend is not the same thing as a friend who is a girl,” Jeremiah corrects. Kara frowns in confusion (she hates these subtle nuances to the English language. Why can’t they just say what they  _ mean? _ ). 

“Then what is it called when a girl who is a friend is also a girl who you kiss and hold in romantic ways?” Kara asks. Alex drops her fork, mouth open in shock.

“Kara!” she shrieks.

“Alex?” Eliza asks at the same moment.

“What?” Kara asks, bewildered. No one answers her.

“Alex, what is she talking about? Is Emmy- are you- what’s going on?” Jeremiah asks, fiddling with his hands. Alex turns to Kara, glaring.

“You  _ spied _ on us, you freak?” The words have venom in them, more than Kara’s ever seen. Hot tears prick at the corner of her eyes. What did she do?

“Alexandra!” Eliza yelps. “What is she talking about? Are you and Emmy… Are you dating?” her voice quiets for her last questions as if she’s trying to force herself to calm down. Tears are splashing against Kara’s cheeks now, hot and salty as Alex glares at her, muttering her hatred softly enough that only Kryptonian ears can pick it up.

“Emmy and I… Yeah,” Alex whispers after a few moments of tense silence. Suddenly, Alex is crying, too. “I’m sorry,” she cries, shoving her chair away from the table and sprinting out the front door before Kara or anyone else can even think to stop her.

“What did I do wrong?” Kara whimpers as the slamming door reverberates through the room.

 

Eliza had taken Kara up to her room while Jeremiah took the car out to look for Alex.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, dear, except using your powers to spy,” Eliza says firmly. “You had no way of knowing it was a secret.” Kara wipes at her tears with the back of her hand, clutching the blanket to her chest.

“Is Alex in trouble?” A thousand unspoken questions weighed heavily on her tongue.  _ Is what Alex did wrong? Why can’t a girl kiss a girl? Will Kara be ostracized if she kisses girls like Alex? Why is this something bad? Why did Alex cry and run away? Why did Alex have to hide this? _

“No,” Eliza answers vehemently. “We love Alex. This is not… Some people… don’t like what Alex does. Some people think that men only love women, and vice versa. But regardless of what others say… Alex is our daughter, and we love her, no matter what. Just as we love you,” she adds. Kara chews on her lower lip thoughtfully.

“Is she running away? Will she come back?” Eliza’s mouth quirks up mirthlessly.

“Midvale is only so big, Kara. Jeremiah will bring her home. Go to sleep. It will all be fine in the morning.” Eliza tucks Kara into bed, stroking her hair until Kara closes her eyes. Once the lights are off and the door shut, Kara waits. Listens. Footsteps receding, the sounds of Eliza settling into her work desk, the clinking of glassware signalling Eliza pouring herself something to drink. Kara counts to five before climbing carefully out of bed. As she opens the window and uses her powers to float harmlessly to the ground, Kara listens further out, trying to find the distinctive sounds of Alex’s heartbeat. Alex’s breathing. Finally locking in on it, Kara sets out to find her. This was her mess, accidental as it was. And she has to be the one to fix it.

 

Kara finds Alex on the beach, hidden near an outcropping of rocks, perched on the edge of a rock and staring up at the sky. Kara settled down next to her wordlessly.

“You ruined everything,” Alex states. Kara flinches away from the words. “Now, they’ll never let me see her. They’re going to send me away, and I won’t be able to see any of my friends. You ruined  _ everything _ .”

“I didn’t mean to,” Kara argues weakly. The words are weak, soft and light enough to be carried away by the sea breeze.

“You never mean to, Kara,” Alex snorts. Kara knows enough to realize that Alex is not laughing happily. She sits up and Kara mimics the position, drawing her knees to her chest. “You never mean to break things, or freeze things with a sigh. You never mean to do anything. But that doesn’t make it better!” Alex huffs angrily, running a hand through her hair.

“Why do you think they’re going to send you away?” Kara decides to switch tactics.

“Because, what Emmy and I feel… A lot of people think it’s unnatural, or wrong. Emmy said she heard about these camps they send kids like her- like  _ me _ \- to, and it changes them. She wanted us to be a secret so that we wouldn’t have to go there. But now, my parents are going to send me away and I’ll never see my friends again,” Alex laments. She rests her chin on a knee.

“Eliza says that no matter what, they love you. And that you’re not in trouble.” Alex looks over at her sharply. She narrows her eyes, pursing her lips. Her parents would probably say anything to make Kara feel better when she fucked up.

“Even if that’s true,” Alex hedges carefully, careful not to get her hopes up, “my friends will probably hate me. Or their parents. Everyone at school. And now I don’t even get the chance to tell anyone myself because you took that from me.” Alex huffs in frustration. She had  _ finally _ managed to stop crying, and then Kara shows up and here come the damn waterworks. Typical. 

“Do not cry,” Kara says softly. She reaches out to wipe the tears away and Alex is startled. She knew that Kara’s skin was impervious to harm, but she’d always imagined it like a layer of metal armor. Surprisingly, it was warm and soft to the touch. “On Krypton, people can marry whomever they want. People are free to love.”

“That sounds nice,” Alex sighs. Her heart clenched and a stray breeze made her shiver, so she scooted closer to Kara, pleased when her foster sister put an arm around her- but only because Kara was warm and she was cold, of course. They’re silent for a moment.

“There was a song back on Krypton. My mother and father used to sing it to me when I was frightened. Would you like me to sing it to you?” Kara can feel Alex nodding, and starts to sing softly. Alex doesn’t understand the words, but the tune is soft, and Kara’s voice is gentle and lulls her into a peaceful trance. When she finishes the song, Alex exhales in contentment. She doesn’t know how long she sits there like that, leaned into Kara’s shoulder and just breathing.

“Let’s go back home,” she finally says. Alex isn’t sure what’s going to happen next. Maybe her parents will send her away. Maybe they won’t. Maybe her friends at school will hate her when they find out. Maybe they won’t. All Alex knows is the warm pressure of Kara’s hand in hers, pulling her up the path and back towards the warmth of her house-  _ their _ house.


	2. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex had heard Kara having the nightmares. She was right down the hallway, and Kara did not wake quietly after a nightmare. But she was tired, and she never wanted to get out of bed. but this time, they were home alone and Alex knew she had to step up and be a better sister.

Alex Danvers never wanted a sister.

Okay, that’s a lie. When she was five and her best friend Jenny’s mom was pregnant, Alex used to say she wanted a baby brother or sister. She got over that very quickly once Jenny’s brother Thomas was born and he cried all the time. Then, she decided she wanted a puppy. But, at fourteen years old, Alex did not want a sister. Especially not some freaky alien sister from planet Krypton who wakes her up screaming every night. 

Alex was trying to be sympathetic- really! She knew that for Kara, it felt like only days ago that her planet was destroyed, along with everything and everyone she ever knew and loved, even though it was almost 30 years ago. She knows that Kara has nightmares about the planet exploding- she knows because she can overhear Kara sobbing and telling her parents about it every night. So yes, Alex tried to be sympathetic. She wants to be.

But she’s so  _ damn _ tired. She’s fallen asleep in class so many times that the guidance counselor has called her into the office twice now. Kara’s parents had to come in and explain the ‘situation’. 

They’d decided to tell people something as close to the truth as possible. Kara was a foster kid since her parents had died in a fire. They were homeschooling her for the remainder of the year, then would enroll her in classes next fall. Alex was tired all the time because Kara was still traumatized by the deaths of her parents. Nothing sinister was happening. Alex was fine. The guidance counselor pretty much backed off after that, but Alex was still exhausted.

 

One day, about a month after Kara arrived, the Drs. Danvers were held late at work. Alex got the call when she was on the bus on her way home.

“Alex, honey, there was an emergency at work,” her father tells her quickly.

“Is everyone alright?” Alex panics, sitting up in her seat. The kids around her quiet down to eavesdrop.

“Your mother and I are fine. Your mother was called in for an emergency overnight shift earlier today, but I was just called in to go on a travel assignment. I need to go, so you and Kara are going to be alone,” he explains.

“But dad, I was supposed to sleep over at Jenny’s house tonight,” Alex whines. 

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. But someone needs to take care of Kara.” He sounds like he’s running around. Alex pouts over at her friend Jenny.

“But why do I need to babysit her? She’s, like, thirteen,” Alex protests.

“You know she can’t stay home alone.” Alex groans as she hears his car door slamming. “Alex, honey, I know you know why this is important. Go straight home. Take care of Kara. I’ll call when I can. There’s money on the fridge for takeout. Love you.” He hangs up before Alex can says she loves him too.

“This is the worst,” she moans to Jenny.

 

Alex rolled her eyes when she walked into the living room. Kara’s English was rudimentary when she first landed, thanks to twenty five or so years listening to a basic language program in her pod, and Eliza had suggested she watch children’s shows to get a better grasp of language. Much to Alex’s chagrin, Kara had loved shows like  _ Sesame Street _ and  _ Between the Lions. _ This afternoon, Kara seemed to be watching  _ Dora the Explorer. _ Because learning English wasn’t enough for the Kryptonian, no. She had to learn Spanish, too. She was curled up on the couch in an old pair of Alex’s sweatpants and a t-shirt, her hair in two braids down her back, hugging a pillow to her chest. Alex thought it made her look much younger.

“Hey,” she grunts. Kara looks up and positively beams.

“ _ Hola _ , Alex!” she grins proudly. Alexa can’t help but smirk. It is kind of sweet how eagerly Kara works at everything. When she smiles, she looks a bit like that puppy Alex always wanted. “Jeremiah left for work,” she adds. Every day, more of Kara’s kryptonian accent disappears.

“Yeah, I know. Just you and me tonight. Know what that means?” Kara cocks her head to the side, confused. “We get to stay up all night watching movies and eating junk food. Or at least, I am. You don’t have to.” Alex shrugs. It’s nice, she thinks, the way Kara’s entire face lights up at the prospect of being invited to hang out with Alex.  _ Well, _ Alex thinks,  _ Mom and Dad have been on me to act like a better sister to her. This’ll keep them happy. _

 

In retrospect, Alex should have known that watching  _ The Day After Tomorrow _ with Kara was a bad idea. 

Kara had run from the room less than halfway into the movie, and Alex realized the plot of the movie must have hit the Kryptonian too close to home. But when Alex paused the movie to go after her, Kara slammed her door shut. Alex just shrugged, figuring Kara needed to work through it on her own. When she came down an hour later to eat the Chinese delivery- Alex had ordered a second order of potstickers just to try and make it up to her- Kara had said she was fine. Alex had no reason not to believe her until she the middle of the night.

Kara had gone to bed much earlier than Alex, who had been determined to stay up all night and talk on her cellphone with Emmy for as long as possible. She was just coming back from the bathroom before starting her next movie when she heard the telltale sounds of sobbing. It was muffled slightly by the closed door, and when Alex eased open the door, she found Kara curled up, impossibly small in the big, plain looking guest bed. She was gripping the sheets so tightly that her knuckles turned white and she was whimpering as if in pain. 

“Kara,” Alex whispers softly. She hesitates in the doorway. Kara yelps, turning and twisting herself up in the sheets and that propels Alex forward. She can’t watch this any longer- she’s not a monster- and she goes to shake Kara’s shoulder. “Kara, wake up. It’s just a dream, wake up,” she calls louder. The moment Alex’s hand touches her shoulder, Kara shrieks and her arm flails out, connecting with Alex’s nose. “Fuck!” she shrieks as Kara sits up, eyes opening. For a moment, she’s frozen, still in a defensive stance and Alex scrambles back, out of arm’s reach.

“O-oh, A-Alex,” she coughs when realization hits her. “I-I did that?” Alex pinches her nose as she approaches Kara’s bed, ignoring the pain.

“No, no, I’m fine. It’s okay. It was… You were dreaming. I’m okay. See, I don’t even think it’s bleeding.” Thankfully, when Alex pulls her hand away, there’s no blood. She carefully puts one hand on Kara’s shoulder. The younger girl burrows into Alex’s shoulder, holding her tight as she cries. “Hey, hey, you’re okay. It was just a dream. I’ve got you now,” Alex comforts awkwardly. She wraps her arms around Kara, patting her back. Kara clutches at her shirt, sobbing harder. “It was just a movie,” Alex whispers softly, trying to keep her voice soothing.

“No!” Kara cries out sharply. “I-it  _ wasn’t _ . Th-that’s just like what happened-” Kara devolves into sobs and her super-strength is kind of starting to hurt Alex’s ribs, and she feels like an ass, so she just lets Kara hug her tighter.

“Oh, fuck, it reminds you of home,” Alex exhales, her face falling. How could she have been so insensitive? The death of Krypton is still so fresh in her mind and Alex literally just made her watch a dystopian movie where someone’s whole world dies. She’s an  _ idiot. _ Mom’s going to kill her. 

“A-Alex,” Kara whimpers in response.

“Kara- can’t breathe,” Alex gasps. Kara immediately releases her, scooting until she’s up against the wall, knees drawn to her chest. Before Alex has even fully caught her breath, she’s pulling at Kara’s hands, grateful that the Kryptonian yields enough for Alex to pull her into her lap. Kara curls up like a cat, burying her face in Alex’s shoulder, and Alex is reminded just how young this girl is. Alex feels guilty for spending so many nights wishing she would just shut up, forgetting about the trauma Kara went through.

“I’ve got you now. You’re safe now. Nothing’s going to happen to us,” Alex continues to whisper lowly, over and over again. Holding on tight to Kara, she shifts until she’s lying back against the headboard. She pulls the blankets up over them both, rubbing soothing circles in Kara’s back until she can feel her breathing slow. “I’ve got you now, Kara,” she exhales. The next morning when her parents ask why she stayed, Alex will argue she fell asleep, or that she just couldn’t move the alien off of her. In reality, she just wanted to know Kara was okay for the rest of the night. And if her parents exchanged a knowing look behind her back when Alex suggested that Kara move into her room with her, well, no one really needed to know.


	3. Halloween

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A day late, but this is my take on Kara's first Halloween with the Danvers

“Come on, Alex! There’s three more neighborhoods we can get to before it’s too late!” Kara yanked on her older sister’s arm and Alex curses her stupid Kryptonian strength because she can't fight Kara. Even though she's so tired her feet might literally fall off at this point. 

“Kara, come on, can't we go home? I'm exhausted, this bag is heavy, and I've got an essay and a science test for tomorrow,” she whines, adjusting her fairy wings. Once Kara had realized that the entire premise of Halloween was to get free food, she begged Alex to take her trick or treating, even as Alex argued they were far too old for it. Unfortunately, her parents overheard the exchange and Alex ended up dressed as a grumpy tinkerbell following around an over eager Kara. She was dressed as Ariel with her reddish hair curled and she twirled in a light pink dress. Alex thought it was a fitting comparison since Kara was new to this world still like Ariel was new to the human world. 

“I'll carry your bag. And you, if you want. Please, Alex? I'm having so much fun,” Kara pouted. Alex couldn't help but smile at Kara's point. Her lower lip jutted out and she tilted her head just enough, eyes wide and wet and she looked thoroughly puppy-like. 

“Kara, you know there's a better holiday than Halloween, right?” She whispers like it's a secret and thankfully Kara drops the puppy dog act. Alex wasn't sure how much longer she could hold out against the pout. 

“What?” Kara gasps and Alex smiles, leaning in closer. 

“Tomorrow, on the day after Halloween. All of the stores with leftover Halloween candy have these sales. They're practically giving the candy away. It's fantastic,” Alex explains. Kara giggles. 

“Why is it so cheap? Does this holiday have a name?” Alex shrugs. 

“Halloween is over, so they need to get rid of the stuff to make room for other things. It doesn't have a name, but if we go home now, I promise to take you to the stores tomorrow so we can get cheap candy.” Kara nods, her grip bruising Alex's wrist and moving at a pace too quick for most humans but Alex can't really fault her. Because when Alex expresses her inability to keep up, Kara carries her piggy back all the way home and they tumble across the doorway, giggling and squealing like the sisters that Eliza and Jeremiah want them to be. 

  
The next day, Kara spent her entire allowance accumulated over the summer on Halloween candy. She ate it all in one sitting and the Danvers family discovered that even a Kryptonian digestive system has limits to candy consumption when Kara threw it up shortly after. 


	4. Eighth Grade Sucks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Alex is jealous and Kara is just confused (and, of course, eighth grade sucks).
> 
>  
> 
> (TW for a panic attack)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Honestly, I need some little fluff and fanfic love after the shitshow that was my country's election.

****

“You have everything you need? Your lunch, your snacks? Notebooks, pens, a class schedule? Map of the school? You know our phone numbers?” Eliza Danvers fusses. Normally, Alex would be grumbling at her mom. She's going into  _ ninth grade,  _ she's not a baby. But her mom isn't talking to her. No, Alex’s mom is talking to  _ Kara  _ because it's  _ Kara’s _ first day of eighth grade and it's like Alex's first day of high school doesn't even matter. 

“I am fine, Eliza. I believe I have to go now. I don't want to be tardy,” she says eagerly, gripping the straps of her backpack. Alex kind of wants to shake her because no one wears both straps unless they're a dork and Alex doesn't want them to start off their year like that. But her mom is right there and she's already been on Alex's case about being nicer to Kara. 

“Late, Kara. No one says tardy.  _ Late, _ ” Alex sighs. Because really, that was an important distinction. “And she's right, Mom. I've gotta get her to her home room so I can get to mine.” Eliza nodded, tearing up a bit. Alex holds open her arms, preparing for the inevitable endless first day of school goodbye hug but her mom goes in and hugs  _ Kara.  _ Alex tries not to scowl. 

“Be good, girls. Alex, watch out for Kara,” her mother says finally after releasing Kara. She embraces Alex briefly and kisses her forehead, but it wasn't the same. Alex shakes her head as if to clear the petty thoughts away. 

“Yeah, yeah whatever, Mom,” Alex sighs. She hitches her backpack onto one shoulder- the  _ right  _ way to do it- and heads toward the front doors of the joint middle and high school building. “Come on, Kara.” 

Her cheeks burn as she can feel everyone turning to watch them enter. Over the summer, everyone had heard about the Danvers family taking in a foster kid and they had all been clamoring for a glance. Alex walks quickly, as if that'll draw less attention. She drops Kara off at her home room and reminds her how to get to her classrooms before running to her own home room. She already wanted this day to be over. 

After homeroom, Alex's day started to improve. She had a good number of classes with her friends and she seemed to like most of her teachers. The course work seemed challenging but not impossible, plus her lab partner for bio was the hottest guy in school, Jake Labrie. All of Alex's friends were jealous. 

She was just walking to her locker between classes when she saw Kara sitting in the back of the nurse's office with her head down on the table. Her foster sister can't get sick. Alex poked her head in. 

“Kara?” She whispered. Kara flinched and Alex thought she heard a whimper. The nurse looked up. 

“Miss Danvers, this is not a social club. Get to class, please,” the nurse dismisses her. Alex frowns, stepping further into the mini waiting room. 

“Please, Mrs. Olsen? It's my foster sister’s first day and I just wanna check on her. My parents wanted me to keep an eye on her and make sure she's adjusting. Can I just talk to her for a second?” She pleads. 

“Two minutes,” Mrs. Olsen allows with a sigh. Alex grins and runs in, kneeling down next to Kara. 

“Uh, everything okay, Kara?” She asks softly. Kara whimpers. 

“It's so loud,” she exhales. “And I can't… My head… there's this pounding. And pressure. Mrs. Olsen says it's a headache. I don't like it,” she continues. When Kara looks up, she flinches and puts her head right back down. Alex rubs her back, startled to see tears in her eyes. Kara was always so happy that it kind of hurt Alex to see her so sad. 

“Just try… you know how my dad showed you his camera? And how he can focus the lens to see only what he wants to see?” Alex keeps her voice soft so no one else can hear. Kara nods. “That's what you need to do with your hearing. You practiced all summer, didn't you? Just focus on whoever is talking directly to you. If it's a teacher, filter everything else out and focus only on the teacher. If it's someone else, just focus on the one voice. You'll get it. You'll be fine, okay?” Kara nods. She sits up, taking a deep breath and looks at Alex. 

“Just focus it like a camera?” She confirms. Alex nods. Kara breathes slowly. At that moment, the warning bell for class rings and she flinches, but settles after a moment. 

“See? Better already. Think you can go back to class now?” Alex smiles gently at her. Kara wipes at her eyes, smiling and nodding gently. “Okay, good.” After huffing slightly, Mrs. Olsen gave them both late passes to class, smiling when she nodded at Alex.

At lunch, the day takes a turn for the worse.

Alex can tell Kara is having some kind of anxiety attack the second she walks out into the grassy courtyard. People are staring, pointing and whispering. Alex blushes as she hears her name. She finds Kara standing in the middle of the courtyard, breathing heavy and yelping whenever someone’s shoulder brushes her. Her eyes are wide and her cheeks pink as she looks around, wild-eyed. After a moment, she puts her hands over her ears and closes her eyes.

“Kara! You’re so  _ weird _ ,” Alex huffs, running over to grab her foster sister’s wrist. As people laugh and stare, Alex yanks Kara inside to the nearest bathroom. She checks to make sure no one else is in there and locks the door. Kara is shaking, her entire body twitching and her chest heaving with sobs.

“Kara,” Alex says again, gentler this time. “Focus, like a lens, remember?” Kara nods, squeezing herself around the middle tightly. Hesitantly, Alex approaches with one arm out, offering a hug if Kara wants it. Kara lunges toward Alex, squeezing her tightly. It hurts Alex a little, but when she feels Kara grabbing at her shirt like it’s a lifeline, she can’t find it in herself to tell Kara to stop. After a while, Kara seems to breathe easier and she extracts herself from Alex’s grip.

“I didn’t mean to do it… I let my focus slip. I think I heard someone say my name, and I started listening and then- they were saying such mean things, Alex! And then I heard more people saying my name, and your name, and it really… It was very mean. So I got upset, and then my eyes started looking through people and I couldn’t make it stop and everything was so loud and so bright and I started to panic and more people made fun of me and I just…. I’m sorry I’m such a freak.” Kara bit her lower lip.

Alex, meanwhile, felt a nauseous swirling in her stomach. Just last night, she had called Kara a freak while on the phone with her friends. She had forgotten that Kara could probably hear her. Alex wasn’t sure if she was referring to Alex insulting her or someone else in the courtyard. She supposes it doesn’t really matter.

“Kara, you’re… You’re a  _ superhero _ . You’re not a freak. Just… Relax, okay? I’ll talk to my dad about doing something so your powers aren’t as… overwhelming. The day’s almost over. You can make it,” Alex says kindly. Kara beams back at her and Alex feels a little better. Smirking, she adds, “and if you really want to fit in, don’t be so eager. You’re like a puppy.” Kara blushes, and Alex just ruffles her hair.

“Can I sit with you at lunch?” Kara asks shyly. Alex hesitates to introduce Kara to her friends, but knows her dad would be disappointed in her if she excluded Kara.

“Sure,” Alex smiles. “Maybe they can teach you some slang,” she teases. She had been referring to the night before when Kara had asked Alex where they kept the “chill pills” because she couldn’t relax. Kara just giggled and followed Alex out to the lunch table.

Later that day over dinner, Eliza asks how Kara’s first day went. Kara swallows before answering.

“Eighth grade kinda sucks,” she declared. Eliza choked on her water. Jeremiah just widens his eyes, smiling. Alex barks out a laugh. “What?” Kara asks, brow furrowed. “Did I say it wrong?”

** “No,” Alex agrees heartily. “You said it exactly right. Eighth grade really does suck.” The girls laugh, and the awful day feels somewhat better.  **


	5. The First Thanksgiving

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A story about Little Kara's first thanksgiving with the Danvers (with hints of the real story of the first thanksgiving in the colonial times because I'm salty about it).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To my American readers, happy Thanksgiving. To my Native American readers, happy national day of mourning (may the sacrifices of your ancestors never be forgotten). To my non-American followers, happy Thursday!

“Alex, for what are we giving thanks?” Kara asks in a small voice. Alex peered at her from her bed, glances at her clock and back to Kara. 

(She had insisted they stay in the same room once she realized how bad Kara’s nightmares were. They woke her screaming every night for the first two weeks but they didn’t stop after that, she just learned how to quiet her cries. Alex wanted to share a room so that when Kara woke in the night, she wouldn’t feel so alone.)

“Kara, it’s early,” Alex whines, falling back into her pillows. This was their day off from school, the day to sleep in. Kara still didn’t quite understand the concept, always rising with the sun.

“Everybody mentions this feast of giving thanks but no one ever explains why we have it,” Kara continues plaintively. “And the textbook only talks about some primitive time when the violent colonizers attacked native peoples and later put their heads on spikes.” Alex snorts. Sighing heavily she lifts her blanket up and scoots over. It had become their symbol, a signal for the other to come crawl under the covers. Alex often did it on nights Kara had nightmares and just wanted someone to hold her. As always, Kara scuttled over immediately and snuggled into Alex’s side. Alex just tightened the blanket around them, though she didn’t really need it now that she had Kara’s warmth.

“The textbooks tell you where the story starts. Sort of. Hundreds of years ago, the first people who came to live here were in trouble. They hadn’t been prepared for the harsh winter and they were afraid that the death and disease were God punishing them.” Kara wrinkles her nose.

“Rao is a loving presence. Why is your God so angry?” Alex smiles through a yawn.

“It was a different time and people had a different interpretation. More people nowadays- the ones who believe in a God, at least- believe that it’s a benevolent god. Anyway, the people- they were called pilgrims- they were thankful that God had let them survive the first winter or something. So they had a feast which involved eating a lot of food-”

“I like that,” Kara interrupts with a smile. Alex giggles. Looking down, she realizes Kara is fighting a blush.

“Yeah, I guess you would. Anyway, they were celebrating and their celebration involved military drills or whatever and it startled the local natives so they came and then the leader did some negotiating so that instead of war they all feasted together. And then, years later after there  _ was _ a war with the new generations, they celebrated Thanksgiving by putting the natives’ heads of spikes. But that’s not what we celebrate. We’re celebrating… all of the things we’re thankful for, I guess?” Kara nods, quiet now as she mulls things over. Alex is just drifting back to sleep, having assumed Kara had as well when she speaks again.

“So… what are you thankful for, Alex?” Alex takes a moment to think.

“I’m thankful for my parents. And that they have good jobs that put a roof over my head and lots of food on the table. I’m thankful for… you. I’m thankful for having a sister. And, like, ice cream and stuff,” she adds with a giggle. Kara smiles.

“I’m thankful for you, too.” Alex smiles warmly at her little sister. They just lay like that for a while until Alex falls back asleep.

 

“Wow, that’s a big turkey!” Alex exclaims as she watches her mother put it into the oven. “Who else is coming to Thanksgiving?” In the Danvers household, the late November holiday was a simple affair. They wore jeans and sweaters, sometimes even leggings or sweatpants. Nobody said ‘grace’ since Nana Danvers stopped coming years ago. They ate, they laughed and they talked. And they  _ never _ got a turkey over ten pounds. But this one had to be twice that.

“No one,” her dad laughed. “Just us four.” He wore faded jeans and his ratty old dark green sweatshirt. Alex breathed a sigh of relief- she  _ really _ didn’t feel like changing out of her sweatpants.

“So why do we have such a huge turkey?” Her mother playfully swats away Alex’s hand as she tried to sneak a taste of the mashed potatoes.

“Well, Kara has a big appetite and we thought, well…” Jeremiah trails off awkwardly.

“Better safe than sorry, right dear?” Eliza adds, pinching Kara’s cheek. Kara blushes.

“I don’t mean to be a bother,” Kara starts.

“Nonsense, dear. You can’t help your appetite. Besides, leftovers never hurt anyone,” Eliza continues. “Now, why don’t you girls go watch the parade or something. I’ll call you if I need help with anything.”

“Got a job for me?” Jeremiah asks, smiling at his wife. Alex wrinkles her nose, turning away as her parents kiss over the potato peels.

 

“Can I have more please, Jeremiah?” Kara asks, blushing again. This was her fifth helping of turkey, fourth of mashed potatoes and second of green beans (they weren’t as good, she’d argued. Alex tended to agree).

“Of course, kid,” he grins.

“Don’t forget we have dessert, Kara,” Alex reminds her, leaning back in her chair. Kara’s extra helpings allowed everyone else more time to digest the meal, for which Alex was thankful. Kara’s eyes light up and she hurries to finish her portion.

“Dessert now?” she asks. Eliza chuckles, shaking her head.

“Clear the table first.” Kara stands, hurrying around with a whoosh of air. “Without powers, Kara!” she adds sternly.

“I’m so sorry,” Kara mumbles. Alex just bumps her shoulder.

“Dessert will still be there in a few minutes, dork,” she snorts. Kara just smiles back, practically skipping as she moves around the table.

 

“This is  _ amazing _ ,” Kara gasps. That was the  _ third _ dessert she’d proclaimed amazing. First, it was the pumpkin pie. Then the apple strudel. Now, the chocolate pecan pie.

“Why did you make chocolate pecan pie?” Alex asks with a wrinkled nose.

“Thought I’d give Kara options,” Eliza said.

At the same time, Kara shouts, “because it’s the best dessert in the galaxy!” Jeremiah and Alex just exchange bemused smiles.

“The galaxy?” Alex challenges.  Kara nods, already cutting herself another piece.

“And as someone who’s traveled all over it, I’d say I’m an expert.” Kara nods decisively. Alex just smiles. 

 

They're all on the couch, blinking sleepily while watching football and crime shows. Kara was munching on leftovers, hungry again and Alex was tucked underneath a blanket on the armchair. Eliza spoke first, breaking the silence in the commercial break. 

“We never went around the table to say what we're thankful for,” she muses. 

“Do we always do that?” Alex queries. She doesn't think they have in recent years and she's probably just doing it for Kara's sake. 

“I'm thankful for my family,” Eliza smiles. “And for the warm blankets and the nice meal. I'm thankful for… movie nights and popcorn and crime show TV nights.”

“I'm thankful for… my girls. And for football and for the fact that we both have jobs,” Jeremiah smiles at his family. Alex realizes she's next in their little circle. 

“Uh, I mean I'm thankful for you guys. Obviously,” she scoffs, gesturing to all of them. “And I'm thankful for beaches and ice cream and kitten videos on the internet.” Kara giggles. She pauses, realizing everyone is looking at her. 

“My turn?” Alex nods. “I'm thankful… that you are all so nice and have been so good to me. I'm thankful I found… a new f-family? And I'm thankful for… puppies and movies and ice cream and chocolate pecan pie.” Kara's voice shakes as she lists what she's thankful for and Alex holds up the blanket without thinking. Kara immediately leaps onto the chair with her, snuggling into her side as Alex tucks the blanket around her. Later, Alex will realize why Kara feels so guilty for being thankful. She will realize as Kara cries all night, begging for her parents’ forgiveness for replacing them and dishonoring their deaths. Later she will understand but for now, Alex just holds her little sister and giggles with her about the superior dessert. And Alex wouldn't change a thing about it. 


	6. The First of Christmas

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just a fluffy little piece about Kara experiencing December for the first time (and being thoroughly confused about the Christmas experience)

“Alex, it’s Christmas first!” Kara squeals, rousing her foster sister from sleep.

“Kara, you  _ need _ to stop waking me up at sunrise,” she grumbles. Kara blushes. Ever since she’d arrived on Earth, she’d realized she loves the feeling of the yellow sun on her skin. She found herself naturally rising with it, much to Alex’s chagrin once they shared a room. “And it’s  _ December _ first.”

“But it’s Christmas! And there’s so many things we need to do for Christmas! We have to eat cookie dough and sing Christmas carols and have a snowball fight and build a snowman and buy presents and decorate the tree and wrap presents and open presents and-”

“Kara,” Alex whines. But now she’s far too awake to go back to bed before school. She sits up, frowning as Kara giggled, bouncing on her toes and pointing out the window.

“Look! It even snowed! It’s Christmas!” Kara squealed. And she sounded exactly like a child seeing snow for the first time. Alex stood, stretching and groaning. When she looked out the window she realized the sun couldn’t possibly have woken Kara because it was hidden behind thick gray clouds. Overnight, a thick blanket of snow had fallen over Midvale. It wasn’t unusual for sudden snowfalls at this time of year but Alex was surprised she hadn’t heard a news report about it because it was falling thick and fast.

“It did snow!” Alex gasped. She watched the flakes fall then looked to the skyline, much darker than it usually was on a snowy day. Curious, she glanced at the clock by her bedside. “Oh my God, Kara it’s only four AM!” Turning to frown at her foster sister, she finds Kara pouting.

“Sorry, Alex. The snow was very loud,” she explains. She lowers her eyes and her lower lip juts out. Alex rolls her eyes, stifling a yawn.

“It’s  _ snow _ ,” she scoffs quietly, careful not to wake her parents down the hall.

“No, its…. I can hear the snowflakes as they land, settling against each other. And there's wind… and I can hear a snow plow trying to leave,” Kara whispers, staring reverently out the window, one hand pressed flat against the glass. Alex shrugs guiltily, always forgetting that her sister’s glasses could only do so much for dulling her senses. 

“Well, maybe later I can show you what the snow feels like,” Alex muses. Now that she was in ninth grade, most of her girl friends thought playing in the snow was dumb and her guy friends just wanted to go snowboarding. She was mentally planning a day with Kara- banking on school being closed because the roads just looked  _ terrible _ \- when she looked out the window and saw Kara. “Kara!” She yelps. The younger Danvers was running out into the backyard, barefoot with nothing on but her pajamas. Her arms were spread wide and she spun around, giggling. Alex huffed and set about putting on a coat and shoes. It may be four in the morning but she didn't want to get in trouble because some nosy neighbor with insomnia saw Kara playing in the snow the way other kids played at the beach. 

“You need to put these on,” Alex huffs. Kara blushes, giggling as she pulled on the coat and boots.

“I am sorry, Alex. I just am so excited it’s Christmas first!” Alex rolls her eyes, smirking and ruffling Kara’s hair as she zips up the coat.

“The month is December. It’s  _ December _ first. Christmas is only one day. Or well, two if you count Christmas Eve. It’s confusing, I know. Because people call it the Christmas season, but technically it’s still fall. Autumn, whatever you wanna call it. But also, a few days before Christmas the season changes to winter. But people also call it the  _ holiday _ season because most everyone seems to celebrate some holiday around this time of year- probably because of the consumerism of Christmas. But anyway, the date is  _ December  _ first, not Christmas first,” Alex shrugs. Kara’s eyes were wide and she was chewing her bottom lip, her tell-tale sign of being absolutely lost.

“I-I don’t… There’s-” Alex cuts off Kara’s confused stammerings.

“It doesn’t matter. Let’s just… It’s December first. We can stay out here for a few minutes but then we should really get back inside,” she interrupts. Kara beams.

 

It ended up being nearly half an hour before Kara noticed that Alex was freezing and exhausted. Alex’s gloves had soaked through after showing Kara how to make a snowman. She had been rubbing them together trying to keep them warm while watching Kara roll and assemble a snowman bigger than the both of them. When Kara looked over to ask her what came next, she noticed Alex jumping around, shivering and trying to keep warm. Her lips were tinged blue and Kara squeaked.

“Alex! You are turning colors!” Alex just laughed breathily, nodding jerkily.

“I-I’m a l-l-l-little c-c-c-cold,” she admits. Within moments Kara is dragging her back inside. Once the front door shuts behind them, Alex feels a rush of air and Kara has run them up to their shared bedroom. Kara is tugging off Alex’s boots and tucking her in with blankets as quickly as possible. “W-whoa,” Alex laughs from underneath her blanket.

“Humans are not meant to be blue, Alex,” Kara says very seriously. “Humans come in many colors depending on their mood, skin tone, sun exposure and pigmentations. But they are not meant to be blue.” Alex just laughs, intertwining her fingers.

“C-c’mere,” Alex yawned, holding up the blanket. Grinning, Kara climbed underneath, snuggling into Alex’s chest. Alex buried her fingers into Kara’s sides. She swears Kara runs about ten degrees warmer than humans;  _ her personal space heater, _ she thought fondly as she closed her eyes and slowly drifted back towards sleep.

“Alex?” Kara whispers. Alex just opens one eye. “If today is not Christmas first, when is Christmas?” Alex smiles sleepily.

“Twenty four days. So… go to bed twenty four more nights- I think- and then when you wake up after that twenty fourth night’s sleep, it’ll be Christmas.”  _ Or is it twenty three sleeps? No, twenty four, _ she affirms to herself, doing the mental math.

“So, when can we do the Christmas things? The presents and the trees and the music and the cookies and the fun?” 

“When we wake up, we can start on some of that stuff,” Alex promises. There’s silence for a few more minutes before Kara speaks again.

“Alex, does this count as one of the twenty four sleeps?” Alex just laughs.

“No, Kara. Now shush. I’d like to sleep.” Her voice is just a bit too sharp to be considered completely friendly. When Kara speaks again, it’s quiet.

“Happy December first, Alex?” It’s a whisper and if the girls weren’t tangled up in a twin bed under the covers together, Alex would have missed it.

“Happy Christmas first, dork. Now shut up and go to sleep,” Alex grumbles. Kara hums but finally closes her eyes, letting Alex drift back to sleep.


	7. Practice Kissing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay so this is less about Alex and Kara as sisters and more about Kara as a budding baby gay alien. So... I'd apologize but I really liked writing this one. Enjoy!

“Mom!” Alex whined.

“Alexandra, I do not want to hear this. Kara is your sister now. If you want to use the basement for your birthday sleepover, Kara is invited,” Eliza says sternly. Alex pouts, stomping away up to her room. Kara, who had been accidentally listening from the room, made sure to look very busy with her homework. Alex comes into the room, slamming the door and Kara flinches. Alex winces.

“Sorry,” she says sincerely. Kara bites her lip, shrugging. “You were listening.” It’s not a question, but Kara nods anyway. Alex huffs, her cheeks pink. “It’s not that I don’t  _ want _ you to come. It’s just… This was like, my thing with my friends. And it’s like…” Alex trails off, not knowing how to phrase it so as not to hurt Kara. They were reaching a tentative friendship now that Kara’s settled into school and no longer appears as ‘other’ to the students.

“I don’t have to come, if you like. You can invite me, and I’ll decline. Then Eliza and Jeremiah won’t be mad at you if it’s my decision not to come,” Kara offers kindly after a moment. Alex softens, feeling guilty. It would be so much easier to be angry about this if Kara weren’t so  _ damn _ nice.

“No, no, you don’t have to. Do whatever you want. If you want to come, I think you might like my friends. They’re pretty cool. If you want to just hang out alone, or with someone else, do that. Or, like… You can come and then leave if you get bored. Or you can come later. It’s whatever. Just, like, don’t let me influence your decision,” Alex finally decides. Kara nods and the subject drops as both girls focus on their homework.

 

Kara decided, in a moment of bravery, that she’d like to attend this ‘sleepover’. She’d never slept over another friend’s house back home on Krypton. It just hadn’t been a big thing since there weren’t many other children her age. She was still new enough to the Danvers household that this felt like she was a guest, but it would be fun to be a guest with others, she supposed. So, while Alex was setting up the snacks Kara came down with her pillow and blankets, toeing the ground shyly. 

“I can help,” she offers. Alex smiles when she sees Kara has arrived in her pajamas. The girls set about setting out snacks and drinks as the guests steadily arrived. After brief introductions of Kara, the party started.

 

It was midnight when Kara started to yawn. As the girls watched movies, ate junk food and gossiped, Kara just sat quietly in the background, observing. It appeared that no one seemed to actually be inclined to sleep at these sleepovers.

“Oh, don’t be getting tired just yet!” Alex’s friend Amy smiled, poking Kara in the belly. Kara squirms away, smiling. She and Alex had discovered not long after she arrived that even Kryptonians were ticklish, especially Kara.

“We should play a game!” Emmy suggests.

“Truth or dare?” Alex asks, eyebrow quirked. Kara fidgets, not quite understanding. Alex catches the look as everyone cheers their agreement. Alex arranges the girls in a circle before speaking again. “Let’s set some ground rules.” Amy pouts.

“No fun,” she teases. Alex just swats her, making Amy retreat away, pushing her closer into Kara’s side. Kara blushes. She likes Amy. She’s sweet, bubbly and always works to include Kara. Kara also likes how tactile Amy is. She’s discovered that she likes hugging, but Alex doesn’t always want to hug her at school when she needs it. Amy had offered once, and Kara found she never wanted to let go.

“Oh shut up, whore,” Jenny teases. Amy gasps, mock offended while Kara furrows her brow. Eliza said that was a mean word that she wasn’t allowed to use. Why was Jenny being so mean?

“Bitch,” Amy responds.

“You love me anyway,” Jenny smiles. Amy rolls her eyes, smiling.

“Yeah, whatever.” Kara is very confused.

“Anyway, losers,” Alex interrupts. “What I meant was, like how order goes. So, we go in a circle, I think. Whoever went before you, so the person on your right, asks. You pick a truth, you get a question that you have to answer, but if you don’t want to, you can skip. But, if you skip, you do a dare. Obviously, when you get a dare, you have to do something, but it’s the same deal. If you don’t wanna do it, you can refuse. But, um… No stripping. Nothing inappropriate because my parents are home, and like, my little sister’s here.” Alex and Kara’s ears are both turning pink as she says this, Alex from embarrassment but Kara from appreciation and love.

“Can I go first?” Amy asks. Alex smirks.

“How did I know you’d want to go first?” Amy just flashes a grin.

“Hit me with a dare, Danvers,” she challenges. 

“Dare you to… prank call Danny Powers!” Alex giggles. Danny was an upperclassmen that Alex and her friends had all been giggling about all night. Kara just smiled along, not understanding why this was considered fun.

“I should never have told you I got his number,” Amy murmurs, scrolling through her flip phone’s contacts. As the other girls question, she adds, “he was my partner for a theater thing.” She puts the phone to her ear, pinching her nose to obscure her voice.

‘Uh, hello, this is Janine from Surveys Incorporated. Do you have time to answer a few questions?” she asks nasally. The girls giggle as someone responds.

“Perfect! Do you prefer tuna or chicken salad?” There’s a pause as someone answers. “Uh-huh. Excellent. Okay, black or white? Alright, good. Superman or Batman? Oh, really? Oh no, Batman’s fine but, like… Superman.” The girls all burst into giggles and Kara has to bite her lip to hide her snickers. Amy tries in vain to quiet them down. “Welp, that concludes our survey thanks for taking the time,” she says quickly, hanging up. It takes a full five minutes for the girls to calm down enough.

“Kara, your turn.” Amy waggles her eyebrows and Kara blushes, holding her pillow to her stomach.

“Uh… Truth?” Her voice squeaks a little and Alex snickers.

“Okay… Tell us about your first kiss.” Kara buries her face in the pillow. When she looks up, the girls hoot and holler and Kara bites her lip.

“Don’t laugh but… I haven’t kissed anyone and I kind of don’t know how?” Her voice trails up, turning the statement into a question. There’s a silence for a moment before they all start giggling and cooing and speaking. Kara draws her knees to her chest, still hugging the pillow. Amy’s hand on her shoulder startles her and she glances up from under her eyelashes. Amy smiles reassuringly.

“That’s okay. There’s no timeline,” she whispers. Kara loosens up a bit and the game proceeds after a minute.

 

Two hours later and Kara decides to head back to her room so she can actually get some sleep. Amy offers to help her lug her blankets back upstairs. Once they’re alone in the bedroom, Amy sits on Kara’s bed. She pats the spot beside her. Confused, Kara sits down next to her.

“So, you’ve never kissed  _ anyone _ ?” she asks in a whisper. Kara’s face flushes red. She nods mutely. “That’s okay. People do that on different timelines. My older sister didn’t kiss anyone until she was a sophomore.” Kara grabs for her pillow, holding it to her stomach again. She knows that technically, she’s stronger than the pillow and it offers absolutely no protection, but she likes having that extra layer.

“I just… There was this one boy, but I’m scared to kiss him,” Kara exhales nervously. She hadn’t talked to anyone but Alex about her crush on Davy Stevens, her lab partner. “Because… what if I’m bad at it?” Amy smiles, leaning forward to move a stray strand of hair out of Kara’s face.

“Well, when I’m bad at something, I practice. My coach always says practice makes perfect, right?” 

“So, how do I… practice kissing?” Kara asks. She’s glad she’s the only one in the house with super hearing. If anyone else heard this, she’d be mortified. She was so wrapped up in her own introspection that she failed to notice Amy’s gaze drop to her lips as she licked her own.

“I could help you,” she offers in a husky whisper. Kara jolts.

“Wh-what?” Kara stammers. Amy scoots closer to her. She pulls the pillow away, placing it beside Kara and taking her hand. Amy’s thumb rubs soothing circles on the back of Kara’s hand.

“I could help you. Practice kissing. So that, like, when you kiss someone else, you won’t be worried about it being bad. It’s fine. It’s fun,” she grins. The way she looks up at Kara makes it feel like a hidden secret. 

“I- is this… I feel like I should ask Alex if it’s okay.” Kara whimpers, looking away. She always asked Alex before doing something new.

“You can, if you want,” Amy offers. “She’ll tell you it’s fine. I practiced with her before the school dance in seventh grade so that Alex could kiss this boy Lucas. She didn’t even end up kissing him, but practicing helped her, I think. So, like, she’d probably be okay with it. But if you want to go ask her, you totally can.”

“Well, if you did it with her, it must be okay, right?” Amy nods in confirmation. Kara closes her eyes for a moment, breathing deeply before nodding. “Okay.” And then before Kara can really prepare herself, Amy's lips are on hers. It's soft, and it's warm and it feels nice. It takes her a moment before Kara starts to respond, kissing her back. She feels a little awkward and bumbling, trying to emulate exactly what Amy is doing and when Amy finally pulls away, breathing heavy, they burst into giggles. 

“Not bad,” Amy snickers. She leans forward and kisses Kara on the cheek. “Davy Stevens won't know what hit him.” She winks and Kara's cheeks are burning as she watches Amy skip out the door and back down the stairs. 

 

Two weeks later and Davy Stevens finally got up the nerve to kiss Kara. She had been waiting for him to do it, going crazy trying to recapture that golden feeling from when Amy kissed her. His kiss wasn't as good as she expected it to be. 

“I just… don't think it's gonna work out,” Kara whispers. Alex frowns. 

“I thought you liked him. He's cute,” she points out. Kara blushes, shrugging. 

“I dunno,” she mumbled, hugging herself around her belly. Alex comes to sit next to her on her bed, hugging her by the shoulders. “I just… when he kissed me, I didn't… there was no… I didn't, like, feel anything.” Alex tries to comfort her. 

“Maybe he's just, like, a really bad kisser?” She suggests. “You should give him another chance.” Kara nods silently. Maybe he was a bad kisser. Or maybe worse-  _ she _ was the bad kisser. She'd have to figure this out. 

 

“And Alex says he might just be a bad kisser and I should give him another chance but what if she's wrong? What if it's me? What if  _ I’m _ the bad kisser?” Kara rants. She had waited until Alex left to go work on her science fair project at the lab before texting Amy. She had showed up at the house within twenty minutes. They were on the couch in the basement and Kara was hugging a pillow to her chest as Amy came over to sit next to her. 

“Hey, no you're fine. It's not you. Sometimes, he's just a bad kisser or you don't like him as much as you thought you did. It's not bad,” Amy shushes her, stroking her hair. Kara leans into the touch like a cat. Amy smiles, scooting closer and intertwining their fingers while continuing to pet Kara. 

“How do you know? What if I'm just bad and everyone's too nice to tell me?” Kara laments. Without preamble, Amy tugs on Kara's hand and kisses her again. Kara moves her lips against Amy's more forcefully than the first time, determined to get better. As she feels the pressure, the rhythm and the motions, Kara feels it.  _ This _ is what it's supposed to be like. There should be passion and warmth. Davy's lips on hers just felt like… flesh. Amy felt like fire in her veins. It was over far too soon when Amy pulled away, grinning at Kara. She cupped the back of her neck before whispering in her ear. 

“Trust me, I'd tell you if you were bad. That was good. Davy won't know what hit him.” A shiver runs down Kara's spine and based on her laugh, Amy could tell. She pulls at Kara so she can more easily cradle her and stroke her hair. 

“Really? Promise?” Kara knows she's being silly and childish but it's nice to hear Amy talk, to hear her say nice things. 

“I promise. Now, wanna do some more practice? Practice makes perfect, after all,” she winks. Kara nods shyly, eager to keep kissing Amy and chasing that high that only her touch seemed to elicit. 

 

Kara went on a date with Davy later that week. When he kissed her at the end, she kissed him just like she practiced with Amy. She did everything perfectly, but it just felt… empty. She didn’t feel anything special. When Davy pulled away, he looked at Kara like she was an angel, breathless and grinning.

“Wow,” he smiled. Kara just smiled weakly back at him. She broke up with him a week later. Eliza made pecan pie for three days, Jeremiah offered to beat him up (not that he could do more damage than Kara could, if needed), and Alex ate ice cream with her late into the nights. But it was Amy who helped Kara the most with soft touches and tight hugs and chaste (and sometimes not so chaste- those were Kara's favorite) kisses. There was no more need for practice kisses, but they held hands and kissed in the basement some nights all the same.


	8. Bullies and Heroes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara had some trouble fitting in when she first got here... But Alex is always there for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW for some bullying and high school mean kids

“Hey, Miss Martian,” someone calls out. Kara blushes, clutching her books closer to her chest. 

Ever since she started school here in Midvale, she was made to understand exactly all the ways in which she was  _ different _ . She couldn’t play any sports or try hard in gym class because she might hurt someone else or people might be suspicious. She didn’t understand mathematics or science because Krypton had a completely different numeracy system and different physical properties. English grammar was always a struggle, and her speech was stilted and notably awkward. She was far too enthusiastic about things like space and stars and Superman for the other kids. Alex tried to help, but she could only do so much. Kara was just deciding to roll with the punches and take the bullying. 

“Hey, little Danvers,” the voice shouts again. Kara winces- her super hearing made every sound ten times more grating- and turns to face Drew Langley.

“Hi Drew,” she says softly, eyes on the floor. The glasses Jeremiah gave her slipped down her nose- their one flaw, she’d noticed- so she hastily pushed them back up.

“What a geek,” one of Drew’s friends laughs. Kara glances up to see them mimicking her motion with one finger while making goofy faces.

“Yeah, a  _ super _ geek, right Danvers?” Drew hinted. “Where’s the Superman symbol today?” Ever since Kara had discovered that Kal-  _ Clark, _ she reminded herself, _ his Earth name is Clark _ \- had been using the crest of the House of El as his mark, she’d been wearing it. Jeremiah and Eliza bought her socks with the symbol, shirts, notebooks, hats, a pair of sneakers, and even a pair of sweatpants. Every day, Kara worked her family’s insignia into her outfit, glad that she could still wear it even if it had been so commercialized that it was stripped of any significance. Her peers, meanwhile, had thought Kara had some kind of sick obsession or perverted hero worship and they mocked her endlessly for it.

“I-I’m not wearing it,” she admitted. She tried to walk away, back towards the lockers where she was meant to meet Alex. But then she remembered- it’s Tuesday. Alex tutors some sophomore in her advanced chemistry class on Tuesdays. Drew blocks her path and Kara has to remember to stumble, reacting to his human flesh so as not to arouse suspicions. 

“What a shame,” he pouts. His girlfriend Roxie runs up behind him and her whole horde of friends joins the circle, effectively trapping Kara.

“Hey space dork,” she sneers. 

“Rox, she’s not wearing the superhero thing today,” he informs her, sounding mockingly concerned. She gasps and her friends laugh. Kara can feel the sting of tears in her eyes. This isn’t her  _ fault. _ She didn’t want to  _ be here _ . She didn’t  _ ask for this. _ Why are they treating her like she did? Why are they treating her like she wanted to be different?

“Well, I think we should correct that, shouldn’t we, little freak?” Before Kara can react, they’re all pushing and pulling at her. She goes somewhat limp so that it won’t arouse suspicion. She quickly becomes disoriented and dizzy, unable to keep up her balance when someone grabs her around the waist. Someone takes a hold of her wrists and another set of hands grabs her ankles. She starts kicking and fighting, careful to keep it at half strength.  _ Be careful, Kara. Don’t hurt the humans, Kara. They’re fragile, Kara. Let them do what they want. Don’t let them know your secret. _ The mantra plays in her head while Kara just lets the kids carry her, only weakly protesting.

“Let’s see if your BFF Superman will save you,” Drew sneers as they drop her unceremoniously on the grass. She doesn’t even have time to scramble to her feet before Roxie kicks her in the stomach. The blow had knocked the wind out of her, leaving her stunned and breathless as her assailants haul her to her feet. She realizes they’re in the football field near one of the big yellow shapes on the edge of the field. 

“What are you doing?” she whimpers.

“Oh, we’re just making you more attractive to your favorite superhero,” Drew laughs. He grabs a necklace from his pocket and Kara feels like throwing up. As he dangles it in front of her, she focuses on the glowing green pendant. “See this? It’s a real space rock. Thought you might like this, little space geek. Maybe Superman will like it, too.” Roxie clips it around her neck as the other people tie her hands and feet around the pole, behind her back.

“No, don’t,” she begs. They just laugh and someone sticks a piece of tape over her mouth. Kara just lolls her head back, exhausted and weak and nauseous. By the time they’re done, she’s been stripped of her shirt, a large version of the House of El coat of arms has been painted on her chest and stomach, they’re hit her a few more times, and her shoes were dangling from the goal post. She whimpered against the tape as they laughed and took pictures on their little cell phones. 

“Later,  _ superdork _ ,” one of them calls over their shoulder. Kara just closes her eyes, letting the tears fall. Humiliation and shame courses through her. She lets the exhaustion overwhelm her and her eyes close.

 

“Kara!” the familiar voice rouses her. She opens her eyes slowly to find her sister Alex standing in front of her. “Wake up, are you okay?” Alex grabs the necklace, ripping it off and dropping it to her feet.

“Mmmm,” she groans when she feels the ropes at her wrists- the only thing holding her up at this point- fall away and she falls into Alex’s arms. Alex shifts her until Kara is cradled against her chest. Alex pulls her shirt over Kara haphazardly.

“What happened?”

“Nothing,” Kara whined as Alex pulled her off the field. The farther away they got from the necklace, the better she felt. “I’m fine.” By the time they’ve reached the road, Kara is walking on her own, the marks on her wrist have faded and she’s buttoning up her shirt.

“Who did this? Lily called me and said someone showed her a picture of you tied up on the goal posts,” Alex persisted. She insists on carrying Kara’s bag for her even though she feels fine now.

“No one.”

“It was Drew, wasn’t it? Or Roxie?” Alex guessed. Kara bit her lip and looked away.

“No,” she lied. She could feel her cheeks burning. She continues, “no, it wasn’t them. It was- it was no one! I… It’s fine. No one did anything wrong. It was just a fun joke. It was fine,” she scoffs.

“Kara, you’re a terrible liar,” Alex deadpans. Kara wilts as they walk through the center of town and a few people point at her and snicker. Alex notices and pulls Kara down a side street, winding through neighborhoods until they’re crossing through the park behind their house. When they’re passing the duck pond, they hear a shout. Drew and Roxie come up from the swings, laughing and sneering.

“What’s wrong, Danvers. Did we make you cry? Aw, did Superman not come save you?” Roxie pouts. Drew has his arm around her and Kara can see Alex grimacing.

“Naw, it’s okay, babe. Weird Danvers has Nerd Danvers to come save her,” Drew laughs. Alex growls lowly, dropping the bags.

“ _ You _ did this to my sister?”

“What are you gonna do about it?” Drew challenges, puffing out his chest. And Alex doesn’t say anything. Alex just starts to turn away. Kara is grateful because she really doesn’t want to deal with the repercussions. But Drew starts to laugh. And he calls Kara “superdork” again, and he calls Alex her sidekick. And for some reason, this makes Alex drop the bags and spin on her heel. In one fluid motion, her fist balls up and strikes out, connecting with his jaw and drawing back, bouncing on her toes in a defensive position. Drew stumbles back in shock and falls into the pond. Roxie just stands there, stunned, as Kara gasps.

“Alex!” she hisses. 

“Don’t ever touch my little sister again,” she glares at Roxie. Kara grabs their backpacks and Alex’s fingers clamp around her wrist, tugging her across the park, down the street towards the Danvers household. Kara doesn’t speak until they’re in their shared room.

“Alex, I didn’t-”

“Shh,” Alex interrupts her. She turns. “Are you feeling alright? Does anything hurt?” Alex begins to fuss over her, checking her sister’s wrists and ankles, her face. Anything to make sure she’s okay.

“I’m fine,” Kara insists. “Alex, please, are you okay? Your hand-”

“Is fine. How are you  _ feeling _ ? Did they say stuff? Were they mean? Who else was it? Did they… Like, did they hurt you? Like, emotionally? I know Drew and Roxie can be mean,” Alex fumbles awkwardly for the words.

“I’ll be fine. I just want to… wash this paint off of me,” Kara smiles gently. She can feel the paint drying on her skin and she just wants to wash it off. Alex’s concern does make her smile, though.

“Okay… You should probably talk to Mom and Dad though. In case it happens again,” she adds. Kara winces. She does  _ not _ want to have that conversation with the Danvers.

“Do we have to?” she whines. Alex snickers. 

“We can tell them together,” she offers. “Before dinner. I bet Mom will make you pecan pie.” At this, Kara lights up.

“It’s the best pie in the-”

“In the galaxy, I know. And you’ve been to different worlds or whatever, so you know. Yes, amazing. Go, take a shower. I’ll figure out how we can tell them,” Alex laughs.

Once she’s alone in the shower, washing off the paint, Kara’s lower lip trembles. Why did they do this to her? Why were they so mean? It’s not like Kara ever wanted this. But regardless. She would be fine. She was stronger than they were. And besides, if nothing else, she always had Alex to help her out.


	9. Storms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A thunderstorm hits Midvale but only one Danvers sister enjoys it.
> 
> TW for a mild panic attack

Alexandra Danvers was born during the biggest lightning storm that Midvale had seen in a decade. According to Eliza, the hospital was running on a generator since the storm had knocked out the power, the ambulance almost skidded off the road because it was hydroplaning, people were trapped because the streets were flooded and trees were down all over town. Alex thought that maybe she loved thunderstorms so much because she came into the world amidst the noise and light and it was comforting to her. 

When she was a kid, Alex would go out and splash in puddles and just stand in the rain, letting it hit her face. When other kids jumped or cried or hid under the covers when lightning and thunder roared, Alex laughed and clapped and cheered. Alex loved thunderstorms. It was her way of life. So when Kara came along, Alex just assumed she would, too. 

This was not the case.

 

It was the third month of Kara living with the Danvers when they finally had a thunderstorm. Alex smiled when she checked the day’s forecast and saw the clouds darkening in the sky. She pulled on her raincoat and sneakers as her mom helped Kara with rainboots and an old raincoat of Alex’s to prepare her for the rain.

“See you later tonight, Mom!” Alex calls, dragging Kara by the wrist before they’re late for the bus. 

“Why is the sky so dark?” Kara asks softly once they’re seated. Her voice is smaller than it usually is and if Alex were paying attention, she’d have noticed that Kara didn’t look confused or curious like she usually does but rather afraid and nervous.

“Well, these clouds are heavier. More water droplets have condensed together and the thicker it gets, the more light particles it scatters but the light can’t penetrate the cloud, so it looks darker,” Alex explains excitedly, staring out the window and pointing. She continues chattering on about how clouds scatter light particles on a normal day, not paying attention to how Kara just draws in on herself, not paying attention. By the time they get to school the clouds are dark but not a drop of water has fallen. Alex knows she’ll be spending all day watching the windows waiting for the raindrops to fall.

 

It starts to rain during second period. 

There’s no preamble to the downpour, no gentle pattering. Alex glances out the window to see no rain,  looks back to the board to take notes on the FOIL method and then turns back to see sheets of rain pouring down. She smiles, leaning her head into her hand and just watching it for a moment before Mr. Timson, sensing she’s daydreaming, calls on her for an answer.

“Uh, x equals four?” she stammers, her head snapping back around. He grunts, nodding. Alex just smiles and looks back out at the window.

 

It starts to thunder and lightning during third period. 

Alex is bent over her lab notebook, ignoring her moronic lab partner’s yammerings (she hates how teachers pair her with the delinquents in hopes that her studiousness will rub off on them), when the first roll of thunder rumbles in her chest. She just smiles, reveling in the sound as it gets more and more frequent.

 

During fourth period, Alex is called down to the office.

It’s a full-on thunderstorm at this point and people are worried about flooding. Alex had heard rumors about school being let out early. She was staring out the windows as she made her way down to the office, wondering why she was needed. Once she’s arrived, she’s ushered directly into the principal’s office to see Kara wheezing, bent double and crying.

“What happened?” Alex yelps, going to kneel next to her foster sister. The principal wrings his hands.

“When the storm got bad, she excused herself from class and another student found her hyperventilating in the bathroom. We brought her here to try and calm her down since it’s quieter here. Obviously, it’s not working. She started asking for you, so we thought we’d give it a try,” he explains.

“Um, can I just have a minute with her, sir? Not to kick you out of your own office but-”

“It’s fine. If you need anything, come out and ask someone,” he interrupts. Once the door closes, Alex puts her hands on Kara’s knees gently.

“Kara, what’s wrong?” she whispers. In the few months since she’s arrived, Kara has had a few panic attacks, most related either to a nightmare or sensory overloads. Alex figures this is probably the latter.

“I-it’s so l-loud,” she whimpers. “I’m s-so sc-ared,” she adds. Alex just nods, gently squeezing her knees. 

“I know, kid. Just breathe, okay? Deep breaths. Long breaths. In… and out… In… and out…” Alex prompts. Kara hiccups as she tries to calm her breathing. There’s a distant clap of thunder and Kara yelps, leaping into Alex’s arms. Alex grunts, hugging the younger girl and pulling her onto the chair.

“Hey, hey, remember what my parents taught you. Focus on one sound, like me talking right now. And just narrow in on that,” Alex whispers.

“N-no!” Kara yelps. “That’s not the p-problem.” she gasps. Alex has noted that the longer she holds Kara, the calmer she becomes. She’s already worlds better than when Alex had walked in.

“Then explain it to me,” Alex prods gently. Kara is silent for a while aside from the occasional sniffle.

“We didn’t have storms like this back home. Ever. Except… for the day I left. The day my parents died,” Kara says after a long pause. She’s gotten much better at being discreet about her past. “I just… I don’t like the noise. And what it reminds me of,” she sighs, nuzzling her face into Alex’s shoulder. Alex feels like an idiot for not thinking about this.

“Oh, Kara, it’s… I’m so sorry,” Alex sighs.

“You d-didn’t know,” Kara winces as the room flashes with more lightning. There’s a knock at the door and the nurse pokes her head in.

“Girls, your mother is here. Can she come in?” Alex nods, but Kara just stays put where she is on Alex’s lap. 

“Hi mom,” Alex smiles when her mother appears.

“Oh, Kara,” she gasps. Kara’s still trembling and when Eliza goes in to hug her, Kara is filled with longing for her own mother to comfort her. She bursts into a fresh round of tears and panic. Eliza ends up taking both of her daughters home early.

 

“Kara?” Alex whispers. As soon as they’d gotten home, Alex had taken Kara down into the basement where it was hardest to hear the thunder. Urging her into pajamas, Alex gets Kara to curl up on the couch under a blanket. They settled in for a movie and it’s barely half an hour into it before Kara curls into Alex’s side, hugging her tightly. She buries her face in Alex’s abdomen.

“I miss Krypton,” she sobs plaintively. Alex just holds her tight. Because what can Alex say to a girl who’s still grieving the loss of her whole world? What can she say to make her feel better? There is nothing. Alex just holds her as if a tight hug will put all of Kara’s broken pieces back together. 

The storm has passed by dinner time but Kara still holds Alex’s hand, sniffling as they eat the Chinese takeout. Alex let her sister have all of her potstickers that night.

  
A few weeks later, it rains again. It was nothing like the previous thunderstorm, but it doesn’t hold the same appeal for Alex anymore. After that day, thunderstorms never seemed as peaceful.


	10. Kara Learns About Capitalism

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I don't know where I first got this idea but imagine newbie Kara getting really competitive during her first game night and accidentally using her powers... Kara just doesn't like to lose.

“Game night?” Alex has to laugh at the way Kara’s entire face scrunches up and her head tilts to the side like a dog. Kara blushes and looks away when Alex laughs. Her foster sister had yet to completely warm up to her, and with her super hearing, she had overheard many nasty conversations with Alex’s friends, all of them about her.

“Yeah, it’ll be fun,” Eliza continues, seemingly missing the way Kara ducks her head in embarrassment and shame. 

“Okay, let’s do it,” she agrees softly. 

 

“I don’t understand! Why do I not want to let her trade? She’s giving me a lot of money,” Kara asks. Alex rolls her eyes, smiling.

“Because mom’s sneaky. See, she has the other three transportation cards? If you give her that last one, she can start putting houses and hotels on the other ones. And if she does that, we have to pay more if we land on the space,” Alex explains patiently. 

“Hey, no cheating!” Eliza chides them.

“They’re not cheating, dear. She’s explaining the game. It’s cheating if you take advantage of Kara when she doesn’t understand,” Jeremiah laughs, pressing a kiss to his wife’s cheek. She shoos him away and he laughs, going to go read the paper. He knows never to play monopoly with his wife and daughter.

“No thank you, Eliza. I’ll pass,” Kara says sweetly, handing the stack of money back to her.

 

Two hours later, Kara is pouting as she declares bankruptcy. Eliza smiles proudly, holding all of the money.

“I do not like this game,” Kara declares, crossing her arms over her chest. Alex, who had admitted defeat an hour ago, just shrugs.

“Mom always wins. I’m surprised you lasted this long.” Kara glares at the game board. She doesn’t like to lose, even if it is just a silly Earth game. Without meaning to, she uses her powers and the board melts.

“Kara!” Eliza yells. Kara jumps up quickly, using her hands to quell the flames. She sheepishly holds the board out to them.

“Sorry?” she squeaks. Everyone just laughs.

  
That Christmas, Kara got three different versions of Monopoly.


	11. Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex needs something that's just hers, not Kara's, too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's a bit angsty, dealing with Jeremiah's death and how Alex and Kara relate after that. Though this deals a lot with Alex and Eliza's relationship, too. This also deals a lot with Alex's insecurities.

Alex’s least favorite part of getting a new sister was sharing.

And maybe that made her sound like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum but she stood by her assessment. Once Kara had started adjusting to life on Earth- and started to figure out the language- her parents had asked Alex to start helping Kara acclimate to life in Midvale. She’d taken Kara to science fairs, introduced her to her music, and even let her come out to get lunch with her friends.

And she’d thought it was cool at first. It had been nice to have someone following her around, looking at her like she was a god and hanging on her every word (okay, Alex had a bit of a god complex, so sue her). But after a while, it got old.

It started when Alex tried to show Kara how to ride a bike and she had immediately taken off so fast that she left Alex in the dust. Then, Alex let Kara tag along when she and her friends went mini-golfing. By the second hole, Kara was hitting holes-in-one and had beaten Alex by half (Alex was _always_ the winner when she went out with her friends). It was _annoying_. The worst was when Alex took Kara to her science fair and she’d pointed out an inaccuracy in Alex’s poster and a judge overheard, downgrading Alex so that she only got second place. After that, Alex stopped inviting Kara to things like that.

“She needs to be her own person,” Alex had argued to her parents. “She needs to figure out who she is without me dragging her to all of my stuff. I just want her to be able to settle in and figure out her own activities, find her own friends, listen to her own music, whatever.” They’d agreed after that and Kara had done well, settling in and making a name for herself as Kara Danvers, not just Alex’s little sister.

But then Jeremiah died.

And Eliza wanted them to be a better family, to be closer. It was spring when he died. By summer, Eliza was hell-bent on Alex teaching Kara more sports because somehow, even with her Kryptonian DNA and her powers, Kara was about as graceful as a baby elephant. Alex taught her soccer, basketball, tennis, and even football. And while Kara had the strength and the flexibility for any of those sports, she had none of the coordination.

“Alex, what are you doing?” Kara asked one morning. Alex had just donned her wetsuit and was getting her board ready for the first really good waves of the season. Kara was sitting on the bed, just watching.

“Going surfing,” Alex replies shortly. She doesn’t invite Kara and Kara recognizes that. So she just nods and turns to go back to her book.

“Oh, you’re going surfing, dear?” Eliza says, poking her head into the girls’ shared bedroom. Alex nods, already preparing for the words from her mother’s mouth but at the same time, it knocked the wind out of her. “You should teach Kara! I’m sure we have a spare board around and one of your old wetsuits.” Alex gaped at her mother for a moment before finding her voice.

“No. I love you Kara, but no,” Alex said firmly. Kara nodded, knowing this wasn’t really about her. Eliza just frowned at Alex, moving to fully come into the room now.

“Kara, dear, why don’t you go downstairs or outside. And _don’t_ use your powers. I’d like to speak to your sister for a minute.” Kara nods meekly and Alex just squares her shoulders, preparing to face off as her mother narrows her eyes and purses her lips. Once she’s sure Kara is down the stairs- not out of earshot for her, but far enough away that it would be harder for her to listen without trying- she begins, “Alexandra Danvers-”

“ _Don’t_ call me Alexandra,” Alex interrupts sharply. Her mother huffed.

“ _Alex_ , who do you think you are? I’m your mother. If I ask you to do something, you’ll do it. And without all of this attitude!” Alex just rolls her eyes, crosses her arms over her chest and sighing. “Alexandra!”

“I’m not teaching her how to surf,” Alex repeats adamantly. She can feel her cheeks coloring in frustration.

“Why not?” she demands. Alex huffs. She does _not_ want to talk about this. Not with her mother.

“She doesn’t have the right stuff, for one,” she points out.

“Oh, we certainly have a spare board in the garage-”

“No! That’s not a _spare board_ ! That was dad’s board! Stop calling it a spare!” Alex bites. Her mother looks taken aback. “And I don’t want to teach her to surf with that. Because Dad taught me how to surf on that board. He taught me _everything._ It’s the only thing I have left that was just _ours_. And I need that, mom. I need it,” she whines plaintively, feeling the sting of hot tears in the corners of her eyes. Frustrated, she wipes at them with the backs of her hands.

“Alex,” her mother says softly. Alex cuts her off.

“No! I need something that’s mine! Because she’s better than me at _everything_ . She’s better at sports, at school, at _life_ . She’s got more friends and boys are falling all over her and I have to try _so hard_ to do just as well as she can and it’s not fair! She’s taken my friends and my sports and my science fair trophy and I can’t do it anymore! I need something for me! Just let me have this one thing!” Alex is screaming now and she knows that whether Kara is trying or not, she can hear everything. Alex decides to feel guilty about that later because she’s crying now, breathing heavy and hunched over. Because ever since her dad died, she’s been avoiding thinking about it. About how everything that she’d once shared with him she now had to also share with Kara. Learning about the stars. Talking about science. Playing catch in the yard. And now her mom wanted to give up her memories of surfing with him? No, she couldn’t handle that. It would be something like saying goodbye to him all over again. And suddenly, Alex’s mom is hugging her tight.

“Oh, Alex, honey, I’m so sorry. Why are you carrying this around all by yourself?” her mother whispers into Alex’s hair. Alex just shakes, trying to calm her sobs because she’s not _five_ \- she doesn’t need to be held by her mommy while she cries. But at the same time, she does. And it feels _good_. So Alex cries for a while, letting everything out before she manages to calm herself down and pulls back, unable to look her mother in the eye.

“Alex, sweetie,” her mother says gently, using one finger under Alex’s chin to get her to make eye contact. Alex is still sniffling and she’s certain her eyes are red and puffy but her mom is smiling gently at her in a way she hasn’t since before Kara arrived.

“Mhmm?” Alex squeaks.

“Go, before you miss all the good waves. Kara and I will be waiting here whenever you’re ready,” she says. Alex smiles, biting her lip nervously.

“You guys could… You could go out to the beach and just… like, watch, or something? Read a book, tan, whatever. I know Kara loves the sun, so…” Alex trails off, shrugging. Eliza Danvers just beams.

  
They spend practically the whole day at the beach together. Alex rides the waves, taking breaks to splash in the water or teach Kara how to make a sand castle while Eliza watched from underneath her umbrella, smiling at her two girls. She knows that Jeremiah- wherever he may be- would be smiling down at his daughter making new memories and getting closer to Kara.


	12. The First Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is what I headcanon as Kara's first night with the Danvers.
> 
> TW for mentions of panic attacks, nightmares and the canonical death of her parents.

Kara opened her eyes to brightness. A different level of brightness than she was use to and then suddenly, there was a shadow standing over her. A tall man who vaguely resembles her uncle Jor-El is standing, hands on his hips. He wears all blue except for his red boots and cape flying behind him and the large red House of El crest emblazoned on his chest. Confused, she looks down at her chest as if to compare only to find the same sigil outlined in white on her dress. He says something to her and she makes a face. Her pod had taught her some rudimentary English but he was speaking far too quickly for her to get all the words.

_ Kara, _ she tells him in Kryptonese. Slowly, hoping he’ll understand.  _ Kara Zor-El.  _ He makes a face.

_ Kal-El. _ He points to himself and Kara freezes. That’s not possible. Her Kal-El was barely a year old when they were put into the pods. How could he have aged so much and she so little? She begins asking him questions, rapidly and unending and he shakes his head.  _ Slow _ , he tells her in a guttural attempt at Kryptonese.

Slowly, very slowly they get the whole story. He gets some of his answers from the pod, tapping buttons and reading things. After a while, he begins pacing and yelling in the rapid English into a rectangle he holds to his ear.  _ Kara, come _ . She winces because her cousin- her  _ baby _ cousin who she was meant to protect- can’t even speak their native language properly. But she takes his hand anyway as he holds her tight and flies off into the sky. 

She screams for a moment before closing her eyes, hoping this is all some kind of terrible dream.

 

Alex was upstairs in the guest room when Superman arrived.

“Superman is bringing… a visitor. Could you make sure the guest bedroom is ready?” Her mother had requested a few minutes prior. Alex just made a face.

“Why is this person staying with us? Can’t Superman just fly them home?” Alex asked. She hadn’t meant it to be disrespectful, she just didn’t really understand.

“This person will be staying with us for a little while. We’re not exactly sure how long yet. We’re going to figure that out when he gets here. Could you please go change the sheets and set out some towels?” Alex nods and hurries up the stairs. She can hear him landing outside just as she’s finished making the bed, careful to get the corners crisp. She wasn’t sure who was coming, but they must have been important if Superman was escorting them. 

When Alex hears him arriving, hears her parents walk out the front door and greet him, she peers out the curtains to see her parents, Superman, and a little girl, probably younger than her. Frowning in confusion, she just watches for a moment. The girl is around her height with dirty blonde hair falling below her shoulders. She’s blinking and holding up a hand as if the afternoon sun is too bright. Alex is just trying to figure out what in the world she’s wearing (an all-white tunic? A dress? It’s not clear) when her mother turns, catches her eyes and waves her down.

“And this is our daughter Alexandra,” she hears her mother say as Alex comes down from the porch. She smiles politely, nodding. Up closer now, she can see the girl is actually a few inches shorter than her. Her eyes are blue and squinting, watery like she’s trying not to cry. Her shoulders are hunched and she seems to be swaying on her feet like she’s dizzy.

“Hello,” Alex smiles. 

“This is Kara Zor-El, Superman’s cousin. It seems she got a little lost on her way here and got trapped in the Phantom Zone for years, not aging. She’s going to come stay with us,” Alex’s father provides. Alex nods, watching the girl- Kara. Her brows are furrowed and her mouth is set as if in frustration but when her dad speaks Kara’s name, her head turns. 

“She looks a little worn out. Why don’t you show her where she’s staying, Alex, honey? Maybe she can take a shower,” Eliza suggests. Alex nods, holding out her hand to Kara. She whimpers, glancing back at Superman. He nods encouragingly and Kara steps forward. Her grip is tight, so tight it hurts. But Alex suppresses a wince and takes the girl into their house. Once they’re inside, she pauses to turn to Kara.

“English?” she asks, tilting her head. Kara squints, mouthing the word, rolls it over on her tongue before briefly shaking her head. Alex nods. They walk in silence to the guest room and Alex finally gets a chance to look at Kara’s outfit. It’s long, a white flowing tunic style outfit. Outlined very faintly is Superman’s symbol and she doesn’t seem to be wearing shoes. Once they’re in the room, Kara drops Alex’s hand in favor of walking around, gazing at everything with wonder in her eyes.

“Sleepy?” Alex asks after a while. Kara startles, turning to look at Alex like a deer in headlights. “You?” Alex points at Kara, figuring some rudimentary signs and symbols would be the best route. “Sleepy?” She yawns, stretching and pretending to sleep. Kara shakes her head vehemently.

“N-no sleep. Too much sleep,” she croaks. Her voice is thick and accented. Alex smiles, nodding in understanding. If she’d just spent nearly twenty-five years in a hypersleep, she wouldn’t really want to go back to bed just yet.

“Bath? Shower?” Alex tries to mime cleaning herself. Kara just looks confused so Alex leads her to the adjoining bathroom and points to the shower. “Clean. You get clean?” Alex feels silly talking like a caveman, but it seems to be working. Kara nods tentatively.

“Me… Bath?” Alex nods. This bathroom is bigger than hers and the tub is an old-fashioned claw foot. Alex begins to run the water and Kara watches with wide eyes. Once the water is running at a good temperature and the bubbles have been put in, Alex turns back to Kara.

“Clothes come off for the bath,” Alex tells her, blushing slightly. Kara just worries her bottom lip. Alex feels she might have overwhelmed her with too much English too soon. “Clothes?” she tugs on Kara’s sleeve lightly. “Off.” She makes a motion as if she’s shedding an extra skin. “Off.” She repeats it again and Kara nods in understanding. She immediately begins pulling off her clothes and Alex turns, cheeks red in embarrassment. 

“Alex?” Kara calls after a moment. Alex just sighs heavily.

“In the water. In the bath,” she says without turning around, pointing to the bath. Kara whines. 

“Alex,” she repeats, more insistent now. Alex turns, carefully averting her eyes from Kara, who seems to have no shame standing there, naked. Alex sighs, staring somewhere just above Kara’s forehead and failing to see the way Kara’s lip quivered and she shook where she stood.  _ What the hell was her life right now? _

“In the water. You.” She points at Kara. “Get.” She mimes stepping into the tub. “In the water.” She walks over and points at the water. Nodding, Kara steps into the water and sighs contentedly. Alex settles Kara in with a washcloth and the instructions to wash herself before she finally gets to go back downstairs and ask Superman what the hell is going on.

 

“So, she’s your cousin. Who’s supposed to be about eleven years older than you. But she got stuck in a time vortex thing so she hasn’t aged even though you have?” Alex clarifies once Superman had finished answering her questions. She supposes this looks a little bizarre: Superman sitting in full suit in their dining room, sipping a cup of coffee and chatting over Oreos and chocolate chip cookies. Alex knows he’s visited her parents to talk about Kryptonian language and history and physiology before, so she’s kind of become used to it over time. The first time, she had been blushing and stumbling over her words, asking him to sign the cape from her Halloween costume (she had been seven, okay?). Now, she was just kind of looking at him.

“Yes,” he nods.

“And why can’t you take care of her?” 

“Alex, don’t be rude,” her mother admonishes immediately.

“No, it’s a fair question,” Superman allows. “If I care for her, I put her in danger. My enemies might notice and target her and I can’t do that to her.” Alex sighs. Of course he has a perfect superhero answer. “Plus,” he adds, shrugging slightly, his cheeks tinging pink. “I don’t really understand her Kryptonese. And I know your parents are fluent and they’ve got a good understanding of her physiology. And I’ve never raised a teenage girl. Especially not one who’s going to develop superpowers. It’s just… I’m a bit out of my league.” Alex was about to respond when there was a scream from upstairs. Superman was out of his seat and up the stairs before Alex and her parents were even standing. Alex was the next fastest, taking the stairs two at a time to find a red faced Superman standing just outside of the bathroom door.

“Kara?” Eliza calls, just behind Alex.

“She slipped under the water in the tub and panicked. She’s okay now, just a little rattled,” Superman explains. He clears his throat awkwardly. “She might need a hand getting all of that soap out of her hair, though.” Alex’s dad pats her on the shoulder.

“Alex, why don’t you help her get dressed and she can take a nap or something before dinner while we finish sorting things out with Superman.” Alex wants to protest, turns to do so- she’s a kid, why does she have to babysit this girl who’s basically her own age?- but her dad gives her a stern look so she just closes her mouth and nods instead.

“Alex?” Kara whispers as soon as she opens the door. Alex smiles, grabbing a basin from underneath the sink. Kara is sitting with her knees drawn up to her chest, arms wrapped around them. She appears small in the tub like that, her hair wet and clinging to her face and back. Alex is grateful for the remaining bubbles that preserve Kara’s modesty, even if Kara doesn’t seem to care-  _ Alex does _ . 

“Hi Kara. Can I rinse your hair?” Kara turns with wide eyes to look up at Alex, confused and worrying her bottom lip. Alex runs the water for a moment, filling the basin. She points to it, grabs Kara’s arm and pours the water over it gently. “Rinse,” she tells her. Kara nods. “Hair?” She grabs at strands of Kara’s hair, laden down with soap and bubbles. Kara nods again, smiling. She gently tips Kara’s head back and Kara closes her eyes. Alex wants to be annoyed, feel like she’s a slave in her own house, but Kara is so sweet and so scared that Alex can’t really bring herself to be completely annoyed.

It takes a long time, but eventually Kara’s hair is free from soap and Alex is prompting Kara to step out and wrap herself in the towel. Alex closes her eyes until Kara is swaddled in the oversized towel like a toddler with a blanket around her shoulders. Trying to get Kara dressed in a pair of baggy shorts and a t-shirt is difficult as Alex tries to pantomime getting dressed. Eventually, she just calls her mom for help and she just helps Kara pull on the clothes the way one would with a toddler.

When Kara and Alex and Eliza come back down, Superman looks like he’s ready to leave.

“Kal-El?” Kara whimpers, wrapping her arms around her middle again. She begins speaking in frantic Kryptonese and Superman just frowns, shaking his head. He says something in slower Kryptonese and her face falls. She stares down at her bare feet for a moment before rushing up to hug him. He seems surprised, but hugs her back for a few minutes before prying her hands loose. She’s crying now.

“I’ll be back, Kara,” he tells her even though it’s unlikely she can understand him. Alex just watches as Superman takes off and Kara crumples to the ground, sobbing and shaking.

 

It took Eliza nearly half an hour to coax Kara into the house and onto the couch and then another hour before she seemed to have cried herself out. It was close to dinner time now but Jeremiah had just gone out to order some takeout from a few different places to offer Kara options. She was blinking sleepily on the couch while they waited, curled into herself and clutching the blanket. Eliza was speaking softly while switching between English and Kryptonese, trying to get Kara to repeat and learn some new English phrases. Kara was just ignoring her.

Dinner was more of the same as Kara nibbled on food before making a face and pushing it away. Alex felt guilty eating another piece of pizza while Kara’s stomach growled audibly but there wasn’t much she could do for her. Alex just smiled at her encouragingly while Eliza and Jeremiah yammered on, trying to connect with Kara. She seemed to be understanding, nodding in response to simple questions.

“Kara, are you tired?” Eliza asks once dinner has wound down. Kara had been yawning and blinking sleepily for a while now but she shook her head vehemently. 

“Uh, Mom, I don’t think she wants to sleep. She just woke up from a twenty-five-year nap,” Alex whispers. Kara bites her lip, glancing at Alex and nodding. 

“Not tired,” she says in her broken, accented English. “Too much sleep. Don’t want to sleep again. Too dark,” she explains. 

“Oh, okay,” Eliza nods. “You don’t have to go to bed now, but you will need to sleep eventually sweetheart,” she adds.

“No!” Kara yelps, standing.

“Okay, okay, shhh,” Jeremiah whispers. The tension slowly leaves Kara’s shoulders but she remains standing. “Okay, Kara. No sleep right now. Alex can show you TV or something,” he suggests. Alex nods, leaving her plate on the table and taking Kara gently by the hand. Kara squeezes back too tight and Alex winces but continue to pull Kara along.

 

It had taken a few minutes for Kara to really understand what the TV was for but she did eventually settle into the couch next to Alex, smiling and giggling. Alex had decided to put on a kid’s show in hopes of helping Kara with her English skills and slowly introduce her to things but she was dreadfully bored watching it with her. She eventually pulls out her book and starts to read while Kara watches. She’s just finished her assigned reading assignment in  _ Of Mice and Men _ when a thought occurs to her.

“Mom?” she calls, standing. Kara tracks her with her gaze when Eliza comes to meet Alex in the doorway. She’s got her glasses on and Alex feels guilty for pulling her from work for a moment.

“Yes, dear? Is something wrong? Is Kara okay?” Kara glances up and smiles at the sound of her name.

“No, no, we’re fine, I just- what are we doing with her?” Alex knows right away that didn’t come out the way she meant it. “Like, I mean… Tomorrow? And after that? How are we going to tell people we just adopted this kid randomly? And paperwork! She needs a birth certificate and a social security number and we need adoption papers and stuff for her and is she coming to school? Do I have to go to school tomorrow? What about-” Eliza interrupts her daughter’s nervous ramblings with a hand on her shoulder. Sometimes, Alex’s mind worked too fast for her own good.

“Alex, relax. Your father and I are figuring everything out. Superman has contacts who are helping us fake paperwork and make her backstory believable. We’re going to say we met Kara’s family while on field work. You remember when I went to Europe for my post-doctoral research a few years ago?” Alex nods, taking deep breaths to calm her racing mind. Kara is watching from the couch, her face a picture of concern. “I went to Denmark to meet with a small subset of people in Denmark who still speak the South Jutish language. We’re going to tell people that Kara is from that subset. I met her parents and we became close. When they were killed in a fire, your father and I offered to take her in. It was all very sudden. And you are staying home from school tomorrow and Friday so we can all adjust. Okay?” Alex closes her eyes, breathing steady. Suddenly, she realizes something.

“Won’t the government have some kind of record of people who come in and out of the country? We’ll need to fake passports and flight records and passenger manifests and-”

“You really need to stop watching those crime shows, Alex,” her mother laughs lightly. “And we don’t need any of that because Superman flew her here from Denmark as a favor to us.” Her mother pulls Alex in for a hug. “I know it’s a lot, but we’ll make this work. Okay?” Alex tightens the hug before pulling away.

“Okay. But won’t I fall behind in my classes?” Alex was perplexed. Her mother held her to high standards in school and didn’t want to slip, but she seemed to be giving permission.

“I can go to the school tomorrow to talk to your teachers and get any notes or assignments for you. Trust in me and your father, Alex. We will find a way to make this work.” Eliza squeezes her daughter’s shoulder one more time before going back into her office. Alex just nods and goes back to the couch next to Kara. At least she doesn’t have to do her homework now.

 

It’s late. Much later than Alex’s parents normally let her stay up on a Wednesday night. But Kara is still sitting, watching TV and Alex is sitting with her, eyes mostly closed as she all but falls asleep on the couch. It’s near midnight when her dad finally comes in and tells her to go to bed.

“Al, come on, you’re practically asleep on the couch here,” he says gently, helping her onto her feet.

“No, ‘m not,” she mumbles, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.

“Alex?” Kara whimpers as Alex starts to walk towards the stairs.

“I’m going to sleep, Kara. I’ll be back in the morning,” she tells her. “Sleep, remember? I sleep now.” Kara nods.

“I don’t… want… sleep,” Kara says, her face screwed up in concentration as she strings together the sentence. Alex is both proud and envious that just a few hours (okay, so maybe it was more like six) of television can improve Kara’s language proficiency.

“You need to go to your bedroom now, Kara. You don’t need to sleep,” Dad says. Alex is leaning against the stair railing, watching as Kara frowns and her dad repeats the sentence, slower. Then, he says it in Kryptonese. Kara pouts as she realizes.

“B-but-”

“C’mon, Kara. I’ll come,” Alex invites her. Kara looks torn before walking away from the TV, still showing an episode of  _ Cyberchase _ . Jeremiah turns the TV off, bidding his girls goodnight before going to remind his wife to go to bed, as well. Alex silently walks to the guest room and Kara follows.

“Alex, I cannot sleep,” Kara says once they’ve reached the room. Alex just yawns. Her English is heavily accented and Alex figures that’s why her parents decided to make Kara foreign- it would be more believable. 

“Just lay down. Or read a book. Or you could- could- draw!” Alex had been looking around the room to find something Kara could do to entertain herself but only found a notebook and pencils. She drags Kara over to the desk and opens the notebook. “Draw,” she repeats, scribbling a little picture of a house before shoving the pencil into Kara’s hand. She’s exhausted but wants to make sure Kara is content before she goes back to her room.

“Draw? Draw what?” Alex tries to remember some of the Kryptonese her parents had taught her throughout the years.

_ Home. Family, _ she finally says. “Anything, really.” Kara stares down at the paper and Alex is too tired to notice the way her face darkened and her eyes grew wet with tears. “Okay?”

“Mmm,” Kara nods hurriedly. She just needs Alex to leave now. Alex, exhausted and ready for bed, complies. She waits until the door closes before Kara lets the tears fall, dotting the page and blurring Alex’s crude drawing of a house.  _ Home _ , she whispers mournfully.  _ I miss home _ .

 

Alex felt like she had just closed her eyes when she was woken by a sound.

Actually not a sound. A  _ wail _ . In her sleepy haze, Alex can’t figure out what could be making that sound. She wondered if she left the TV on before remembering-  _ Kara _ . A large part of her was annoyed, especially when she saw the time on her bedside clock. She’d only been sleeping for two hours and now she was awake again. But then she heard Kara coughing, choking on her sobs and hysterics and she makes her way quickly down the hall, tripping in her haste. She finds Kars curled up in a ball on the small seat in the nook, staring out the window as she sobs.

“Kara?” Alex asks. Kara doesn’t react. She just continues rocking back and forth, sobbing. Alex catches the sound of her trying to speak. She seems to be repeating the same word. “Kara, what- what can I do?” She was about to ask what was wrong but-  _ duh _ . Kara finally looks up, face red and puffy. There’s snot dripping from her nose and it seems like she can’t breathe, her chest is heaving so much.

_ Zehdh, _ Kara cries frantically.  _ Dhehraogh. _ She dissolves into tears as Alex runs over to hug her. Kara jolts, shoving Alex backwards and jumping away. The force of the push surprises Alex and she stumbles into the bed. Grumbling, she wonders if Kara’s powers have arrived now. When Kara realizes what she’s done, she sobs harder. She trips over an apology before Alex is up again, holding out a hand. Kara trembles violently, flinching away.

“Kara,” Alex says softly. She approaches slowly, as if Kara’s a rabid dog. “Let me help.” She tries to remember her kryptonese.  _ Vokai _ . Kara nods and slowly, very slowly, Alex envelopes her in a tight hug. Kara stays curled in a ball, her entire body shaking and Alex just holds her tighter. Kara repeats the two words again and it clicks for Alex.  _ Family dead _ , she thinks to herself. Kara had been mourning the loss of her entire world- literally- and it became too much.

“Girls?” Jeremiah and Eliza enter the room to find Alex still holding Kara as Kara’s entire body is wracked with sobs. “Kara,” Eliza says softly. She moves forward as if to comfort her and Kara yelps, trying to scoot away. It takes all of Alex’s strength to maintain her hold.

“Slowly,” she advises her mom. “She remembered home, I think,” she informs them. Eliza’s face drops and Jeremiah sighs. Eliza drops to her knees, approaching slowly. Jeremiah sits on the bed, giving Kara time to adjust as Eliza comes closer. 

“Home,” Kara sobs. She closes her eyes tight as the sea of bodies squeezes her tighter and she feels Jeremiah and Eliza join the hug. She can feel three sets of heartbeats around her, three sets of arms holding her tight, the warmth of three bodies on her skin. It grounds her, soothes her in a way she hadn’t known she’d needed.

Ever since her pod opened, Kara felt like she was crawling out of her skin. The feeling only got worse the longer she was here. She could feel every fiber of the cloth on her skin and heard every creak and murmur in the house, on the street and in the neighborhood. All she had wanted to do was hug her mom and hear her dad’s voice, but she couldn’t. 

And then she had gone to the window and dropped to her knees to give her parents, her family, her  _ world _ the proper send off to Rao’s light. But she felt the grains of the wood against her knees and strange scents were assaulting her nose and the stars didn’t look right and when she tried to find the constellations her aunt taught her, they weren’t there. Everything was wrong and Kara felt  _ wrong _ like she didn’t belong here in this house, in this world, in this  _ body _ . So she started to cry.

Having the Danvers family holding her felt good. It forced all of her senses to narrow to them. She could only smell the sweetness of Eliza’s hair, the tang of Jeremiah’s cologne, the soft and subtle  _ warmth _ of Alex’s skin. She could only feel their skin on hers, warm and soft and comforting. She could only hear their heartbeats and their soft words and it all felt good. Slowly, Kara was able to relax and stop crying.

But now she was exhausted. She knew she should sleep, knew her eyes were drooping and she was swaying when the Danvers pulled away. Kara couldn’t stay awake but she also couldn’t go to sleep. She couldn’t risk going back into the constant darkness, the nightmares, the cold. 

“No,” she whimpered. Despite how strong she was, Kara was tired and Jeremiah was able to pick her up, cradle her like a child and put her into the bed. Eliza draws the covers up around her and Alex crawls up onto the bed, holding her hand.

“Sleep, Kara. You won’t be alone. I’ll be here when you wake up,” Alex whispers. Kara can’t muster the energy to respond, just blinks twice before her eyelids become too heavy and they stay closed. She can feel the weight of Alex’s arm across her stomach and the steady beating of Alex’s heart lulls her into sleep.


	13. The Accident and the Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW for descriptions of blood/ injury!!
> 
> This is my take on what happened after Alex got hurt on the beach and Kara's reaction to hurting her new sister. It does have some angst and some mildly gory descriptions of the injuries sustained so if you might be triggered by that, feel free to skip!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did make Alex's injuries a little worse (and a little more realistic, in my opinion) for the plot of this story.

“Alex!”

“Oh my God!”

“Someone call 911!”

Kara tuned all of the stunned voices out, tuned out the sounds of groaning metal and the scent of burning gasoline and soot. She focused all of her senses, everything she had, on Alex. Because the girl who she had come to love, come to see as a sister (albeit a surly one), was on the ground bleeding. 

“Alex,” Kara asks. She knows everyone behind her is chattering and far away- too far for the humans to hear- there were sirens on their way. “Alex, are you okay?” Alex blinks quickly, her jaw working but no sound coming out. The blood comes out of a long, deep gash on her left arm where she had tried to block the car door flying at her. Her arm had taken the brunt of it but an edge still clipped Alex’s eyebrow which is also bleeding. The scent is sharp and metallic and Kara feels ill. 

“What?” Alex mumbles. She attempts to sit up, tries to wipe at her eye where the blood is starting to drip down but moving her left arm hurts and she screams. One of her friends comes running over, followed by the boy who’d invited them there.

“Alex, help is on the way,” the boy tells her.

“Where’s Vicky?” Alex mumbles. Alex’s best friend, Vicky Donahue, pushes the boy out of the way and kneels by Alex, taking her good hand. Kara feels useless, sitting there watching this happen. Just like she watched Krypton die. And now she’s watching Alex die? “Vicky, I want- I want my mom,” Alex whispers, so softly Vicky has to lean in to hear her. 

“Kara, you need to call them,” Vicky orders her. Kara nods jerkily, taking the proffered phone and walking away. There. Now she feels useful like she has a job. This is good. She feels good now.

 

The phone feels like it rings forever before Eliza finally picks up.

“Vicky? What’s going on, honey?” she answers. A sob bubbles up out of Kara.

“Eliza, it’s Alex. At the beach. She got- there was a car accident and I- I didn’t mean to use my powers! But I wanted to help and then Alex came and the car blew up and- she’s  _ bleeding _ !” Kara isn’t exactly sure when she switched to Kryptonese but Eliza rolls with it.

“Oh, honey. Okay, did someone call for help?” Kara nods before realizing Eliza couldn’t see that.

“Yes,” she hiccups, trying to calm herself. Alex needs her. She can fall apart later.

“Okay, good. I’m going to go call Jeremiah. He’ll meet Alex at the hospital and I’ll come get you before people start asking too many questions and-”

“Eliza, Alex asked for you,” Kara interrupts. She listens for a moment, turning to confirm. “The white medic machine is here.”

“Ambulance, Kara,” Eliza reminds her. “I’ll meet them at the hospital then. You need to make sure Alex gets taken care of, then get yourself home. Understand?”

“Yes, Eliza,” Kara says, shrinking in on herself. This is  _ her _ fault.

 

Alex doesn’t let Kara get into the ambulance with her, sends her home instead. Even in pain and bleeding, she thinks of Kara’s secret and the way her parents trust her to protect the younger girl. Instead, Vicky holds Alex’s hand while the paramedics hold pressure on her wounds. The room spins a bit and her head hurts and she just wants to go to sleep but Vicky’s hand is warm in hers.

“You sure you want your sister to go home by herself? She seemed a bit shaken up,” one of the paramedics comments just as they’re leaving.

“Foster sister,” Alex snaps. He nods his head in acknowledgment. Everyone in Midvale knew that the Danvers had adopted a foreign orphan they met on one of their research trips. From afar, it had seemed like the two Danvers girls were getting along but this comment proved otherwise. 

“Alex,” Vicky sighs softly.

“What? She  _ is _ . And she can get home by herself. She’s a smart kid,” Alex declares with a roll of her eyes. Vicky purses her lips and strokes Alex’s hair when they go over a bump in the road and Alex yelps. Nobody brings up the topic again.

 

The Danvers household was quiet. Too quiet.

Kara could hear every board creak, every breath, every footstep. It was just her and Jeremiah. Alex had stayed overnight at the hospital so that they could monitor her head (a concussion, Jeremiah had called it) and Eliza stayed with her. They were on their way home now and Kara didn’t know what to do with herself. Does she go to greet Alex or hide in the bathroom? Should she bring Alex water? A blanket? Should she be planning on sleeping on the couch tonight instead of in their shared bedroom? (Kara knew that Jeremiah didn’t blame here- or so he said- but Alex was bound to be upset).

“Kara,” Eliza calls, making the decision for her. Kara hurries down the stairs ( _ keep a human pace, fit in, be normal, try harder _ ) to find Alex slumping down in a kitchen chair, scowling. She’s got her left arm all wrapped up in a sling, her eyebrow covered with a big white bandage and she wears sunglasses even though it’s cloudy and she’s inside. Kara greets Eliza with a tight hug, unable to look at Alex directly, guilt tearing at her insides. “How are you doing? I know yesterday was a lot and Jeremiah already talked to you but, I just wanted to make sure you were okay.”

“I am fine,” Kara says softly, staring at her feet. She glances over at Alex who is holding her head, grimacing. “Can I go? I-I have an assignment,” she lies, running up and locking herself in the attic.

 

It’s the middle of the night when Kara finally comes down, having ignored Eliza and Jeremiah’s attempts to coax her down. She tries to sneak into bed but is unsuccessful.

“You shouldn’t worry them so much,” Alex whispers, knowing Kara can hear her. “They’ve been whispering about you all day.” Kara deflates, sinking onto her bed.

“I’m sorry,” she says softly.  _ Sorry for worrying your parents. Sorry for ignoring you all day. Sorry for getting you hurt. Sorry for not being normal. Sorry for- _ Alex interrupts Kara’s self- deprecation with a snort.

“You’re thinking too loud,” Alex tells her, swinging her legs out of bed with a wince as the motion tugs at the stitches in her arm. “What’s going on up there in that big old brain?” She gestures for Kara to join her and the girl does, albeit sitting at the far end of Alex’s bed, folded in on herself and trapping her bottom lip between her teeth.

“I’m just- I’m sorry,” Kara repeats plaintively, desperate for Alex to understand, to accept her apology. She hadn’t meant it. She really hadn’t!

“Yeah, I know you are, Kara. You’re always sorry.” Alex doesn’t mean for her words to have that kind of bite, the sharp tone causing Kara to flinch away. She didn’t intend for it to come out that way but Alex doesn’t retract her words, doesn’t lie and claim she doesn’t mean it. She does. Kara is  _ always _ sorry, but always genuine. Every time she snaps a toothbrush or breaks a plate or rips the door off its hinges or hugs too tight, leaving bruises or rips her clothes at the seams she nearly tears up in her apologies. But that doesn’t just magically make it okay, not for Alex.

“I-I’m-”  _ sorry. _ The word dies in her throat as Alex raises an eyebrow at her. “I should’ve been- I could’ve helped you! Stopped the car door, saved you but I just- I was so  _ scared _ . I thought I was watching you die and I didn’t know what to do because I can’t- I couldn’t watch more of my family die and I-” Kara hiccups now, sobbing as the terror from this afternoon returned. Sobs wrack her body and Alex scrambles across the bed to hold Kara tight. The younger girl has curled into such a tight ball that Alex is able to hug her all the way around. With one hand, she pulls Kara onto her lap, rocking her back and forth and rubbing circles on her back.

“Hey now, hey, hey, Kara,” Alex whispers, desperately hoping her parents don’t wake up. (She’s certain that if they do, her mother will blame  _ Alex _ for making Kara cry and for letting her stay locked up in the attic all day). “I’m not- I’m here. I’m safe, everything is fine. If you had run to save me, you would’ve revealed your powers.” Kara’s still crying, burying her face into Alex’s shoulder.

“But you- you got  _ hurt _ ,” Kara whimpers, shifting slightly to wrap her arms around Alex’s neck, squeezing her shoulders. Alex knows she’ll have finger shaped bruises tomorrow but maybe she can explain them away with all of her injuries from earlier.

“It’s just a few stitches and a concussion,” Alex scoffs with a dismissive wave. But the small gesture with her bad arm tugs at the stitches and her pains meds are wearing off anyway- hence why she was awake- and she gasps a little.

“I’m h- _ hurting _ you!” Kara wails but Alex hugs her tighter with her good arm and Kara remains, clutches a little tighter at Alex.

“It’s fine, Kara, it’s fine. Look, look, get your head up, look me in the eye,” Alex says firmly, tapping Kara’s chin until she lifts her head to make eye contact. Kara’s eyes are watery but not puffy, not like Alex’s when she cries. There’s a flash of jealousy (why does Kara get to look so  _ pretty _ while she’s crying? Alex looks like a monster) before Alex smiles at her. “Come downstairs with me so I can get some more pain meds. That’s why I woke up, anyway. And then I’ll show you what happened and  _ why _ you couldn’t have stopped it.”

 

Kar had had to open the bottle, read the instructions and give Alex the pill since the elder Danvers couldn’t focus enough to see the print. Once that was done, Alex followed Kara upstairs into their shared bathroom. Under the lights and Kara’s watchful gaze, Alex took off her shirt, took off the bandages. Kara winced at the sight of the bruises on Alex’s back, the purple and blue shades making an ugly sort of flowers on her body. The skin around her stitches is red and angry, dried blood still sticking to her skin.

“You were about fifty feet away from me when the car door blew off,” Alex begins. “If you had come running to save me, even with your speed, you probably wouldn’t have made it. I could do the math out to prove it but my head hurts. So, you probably wouldn’t have made it, you just would’ve outed yourself as an alien to everyone. I know my dad told everyone adrenaline made you strong enough to rip off the door but adrenaline couldn’t have made you that fast. So you couldn’t have stopped anything.” Kara bites her lip, wanting to protest that she could’ve been fast enough for Alex but she’s right that her secret would’ve been undeniable.

“Okay,” she acquiesces. 

“When the door came towards me, I raised my arm. I’m left handed, so that arm went up first, which is why the door caught my left forearm, right here, see?” She traces just around the cut that will surely leave a scar. “That knocked the door off its original course which would’ve hit my face and probably could have killed me. But it didn’t. The door twisted in the air, a jagged piece of metal cutting my arm. Then another piece just knicked my forehead, right here in my eyebrow. You can’t even see the stitches because it blends into my eyebrow. The doctor said it probably won’t even be a visible scar.”

“But what about your head?”

“I hit the ground pretty hard, so I do have a concussion. That happens when your brain gets bumped around too much. It gives me a really bad headache and makes me tired and cranky. The lights are a little too bright, sounds a little too loud-”

“Like me?” Kara asks, puckering her eyebrows in confusion. “Do I have a concussion too?”

“No, you get that because your senses are more powerful than ours. Mine is because of an injury. It’s different, but yeah kinda similar I guess. I also feel pretty nauseous- like I might throw up. But that’ll fade over time. I just have to rest a lot and can’t watch TV or listen to music or read too much.”

“And these marks?” Kara goes to Alex’s back, nimble fingers tracing the bruises. Alex has to suppress a wince- even when Kara is taking care to be gentle, the bruises still sting.

“Bruises- contusions. When you bump into something, sometimes your blood vessels can burst. Not all of them, just a few in that concentrated area. And when that happens, they discolor like this. First, they’re red, then purple and blue, then yellow and green as it gets older. They’re sometimes tender-” Kara immediately retracts her fingers “- but that goes away. When I hit the ground, it caused these bruises in my back.” Shivering in the cool air, Alex pulls her shirt on. She can see Kara still thinking about something. “What’s going on up there?” Sleepy now as the medication dulls her senses, Alex grins and taps at Kara’s temple.

“There was so much blood,” she comments. Alex nods. Vicky had called to check on her (it made Alex warm, unable to stop her smile) and commented how scary it had been to see all of that blood.

“I know. But the average human has around five liters of human blood. I asked the doctors and I only lost about two pints. They gave me fluids and replenished some of my blood but let my body replace most of it. There’s no permanent damage,” Alex grins, stifling a yawn.

“How do you know all of this?” Kara asks, her voice soft and awestruck.

“I read it in books. I think I’m gonna be a doctor someday. A surgeon, maybe? It seems cool. Can we finish this conversation back in our room? I’m really- still tired,” Alex says, punctuating the statement with a yawn. Alex leans on Kara as they walk back to their room, both too preoccupied to notice Jeremiah and Eliza hurrying back into their room, pretending not to have been eavesdropping as their girls bonded. They shared a small smile, glad Alex was finally warming up to Kara when they heard her ask about Kara’s own career ambitions. Perhaps their two girls could learn to get along, after all, the smiles said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I want to thank you guys for being patient. My semester just started a few weeks ago and I'm readjusting to being busy all the time. And on top of that, I've been dealing with a nasty stomach bug for the past few days. To reward your patience, I have decided to update all of my fics. Enjoy!


	14. Adventures at the County Fair

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Honestly this is just shameless fluff because I saw a post about Kara doing eating competitions and I just couldn't resist. Enjoy!

Kara came to stay with the Danvers late in the spring.

By the summer, she had gotten a more significant control over her powers and no longer screamed when sounds were too loud. She still broke things but only when she was first waking up and didn’t remember where she was. Slowly, Kara was learning how to fit in though she still grappled with socializing whenever they went out into town. Eliza’s  _ brilliant solution _ had been for Kara to accompany Alex and all of her friends to the county fair down in Midbury.

“But Mom,” Alex whined. She didn’t want to  _ babysit _ . This was the year she and Vicky were going to ride every single ride and then sneak into the concert series in the beer garden. Some older boys had invited them but surely they wouldn’t want Alex’s little foster sister tagging along.

“But nothing, Alex,” her dad interrupted, giving her a stern look.

“Fine,” she mumbled as she went upstairs to send an IM to Vicky. Maybe they could reschedule going with the boys for another time.

 

Vicky ended up not telling the boys, though once the whole group got there they split up. Alex didn’t want to bring Kara along to do something illegal since she was so  _ not _ able to lie or keep a secret or be sneaky- plus, she didn’t want to deal with her mother berating her for corrupting Kara. So, the boys went off with a few of the girls from their year while Vicky, Alex, and Kara meandered around the fair.

“I’m sorry she ruined our plans,” Alex said softly while Kara had run ahead to look at the petting zoo. Vicky just smiled, shaking her head. She kind of loved watching Kara run around, her childlike wonder making the whole event more enjoyable. Plus, she had never really wanted to go to the beer garden but Alex had seemed so excited when the boys invited them that she didn’t say no.

“Nah, it’s fine. Hey, maybe we can take her over to see the tractor pull? It’s in the field behind the eating contest,” Vicky suggests. Like a flash of lightning, Kara is at their side again.

“What contest?” Kara grins, her eyes sparkling. The Danvers had quickly discovered that Kara required more calories than a normal human and she ate nearly twice what the family consumed on a daily basis.

“Hot dog eating. A bunch of people get on a stage and try to eat as many hot dogs as they can in half an hour.” Vicky smiles, watching as Kara bounces on her toes in excitement.

“It’s usually pretty gross. Someone always throws up,” Alex says sternly.

“Oh, but can’t I compete? Please, Alex, I can do it!” Kara begs. Vicky laughs imagining little, tiny Kara sitting at the table on the stage with all the big, burly men who usually compete. And now Kara is pouting at Alex, her lower lip jutting out and her eyes getting wide and watering slightly. Alex rolls her eyes, muttering.

“Of course you’ve perfected  _ that _ ,” she mutters. “Fine!” she adds, louder, throwing her hands in the air for the dramatic effect. “We can go see about enrolling you.”

“Yay!” Kara squeals, jumping and clapping, eagerly tugging Alex towards the scent of hot dogs cooking.

 

Within an hour, Kara is all signed up and sitting at her own place on the stage. She’s at the end of the table, her legs swinging under the table since they don’t touch the ground. The other people at the table are all men, most sporting pot bellies, and bald heads. Alex is smirking from her seat when Kara waves excitedly. Vicky just laughs again, taking out the camera her mom had given her before they left. She takes a picture of Kara and fiddles with it, trying to figure out how to take a video as the announcer explains the rules and hot dogs are placed on the plates.

“Excuse me,” Kara pipes up just as the woman finishes.

“Yes, dear?” she asks, laughing slightly. Kara smiles sweetly at her.

“Am I allowed to have ketchup and mustard on my hot dogs?” The crowd laughs and Kara just looks on in confusion.

“Sure thing. No one’s ever asked that question before,” the announcer chuckles before gesturing for someone to come give her the condiments. “Now, I’m just reminding  _ all _ of the participants-” the announcer looks right at Kara “-that we don’t want anyone making themselves sick. And there is no shame in stopping if it’s too much. With that said, let’s begin.”

Kara giggles when the buzzer goes. As the other men stuff the hot dogs into their mouths without a care, she carefully puts the condiments on before eating it quickly. It’s replaced by another. And another. And another. Eventually, Kara just makes little piles of ketchup and mustard and dips the hot dog in before each bite so that she can go faster. 

As they pass the fifteen-minute mark, Kara has eaten almost twenty hot dogs and shows no signs of slowing down. One man has already dropped out, a greenish tint to his face as he hurriedly heads towards the bathrooms. Vicky is laughing, marveling at how well Kara is holding her own in this competition. She leans against Alex to get a better view for the pictures and Alex is holding her breath.

“Kara, don’t be too obvious,” Alex whispers. And her foster sister clearly hears her because she coughs before holding one hand to her stomach. She slows considerably in her eating, but she is always ahead of everyone else.

Finally, there’s one minute left and more than half of the contestants have dropped out. Kara is behind the leader by one hot dog (though Alex doesn’t understand  _ how _ a normal human could keep up with a Kryptonian metabolism). Alex and Vicky are both on their feet, cheering her on and Kara looks confused. Does Alex want her to slow down or go faster? So Alex rolls her eyes, nods and shouts her name. 

And Kara beams, shoving two more hot dogs into her mouth, chewing and swallowing faster than anyone can even blink before moving on to her next two. As the final buzzer sounds, Kara stands, cheeks puffed out and full of hot dog, as the announcer declares her the winner. The reigning champion- the man who had been winning just sixty seconds ago- looks ready to flip the table before he spins on his heel and throws up on the grass. And Vicky is leaning against Alex, hugging her and cheering for Kara as they present her with the ribbon and a trophy and an envelope with her prize money inside. When Vicky lets go, running up and give Kara a hug, Alex’s smile drops for a moment before she runs after her and joins in on the hug.

 

“And Eliza, it was so fun! With some of the prize money I played a game of chance and a game of skill and a game of strength and I won all these nice presents! I gave one to Vicky and one to Alex and one is for me. See, isn’t he cute?” Kara giggles and holds out the cheap little-stuffed panda. Alex smirks, hugging her own blue and brown bear and deciding not to tell her parents that Kara had basically cheated with all of her Kryptonian abilities (her denser Kryptonian cells prevented the many from accurately guessing her weight, her perfect vision and accuracy helped her shoot the little duck down and her strength helped her hit the hammer hard enough that the bell rang). 

“That’s lovely, dear. See, Alex, aren’t you glad you brought her?” Eliza adds, smirking slightly. Alex just rolls her eyes, grinning. Her fingers are tingling from where Vicky had held them on the walk back to her mom’s car, gushing about how much fun this had been and her cheeks are warm, remembering how Vicky had sat so close to her so that all three of them could fit on the Ferris wheel car.

“Yeah, I guess,” Alex huffs, pretending to be indignant and surly. But then she grins at Kara and Kara grins back before she innocently asks, “what’s there for dinner?” 


	15. Popcorn and Bad Thoughts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> My take on that story we got in season 1 about Kara being afraid of the popcorn machine.
> 
>  
> 
> TW: Slightly graphic description of the destruction of Krypton and Kara's panic attack

“So, you definitely need to watch the big Disney movies. All the princesses, plus some others. And then Pixar has a few good movies, too. This’ll be good because these movies are like, childhood milestones. So you’ll have stuff to talk about with other people.  _ Plus _ , since they’re made for kids it can help you get used to learning English,” Alex explains. Kara just nods, only having a vague understanding of what Alex was telling her. She’d been here for a month and had picked up on English pretty quickly due to her Kryptonian ear for languages, but she still struggled when Alex talked so quickly.

“Okay,” Kara nods. She was just glad Alex was willing to spend her entire weekend getting Kara caught up on popular Earth culture (though she overheard Alex complaining about how all of her friends were going on a soccer trip this weekend and she was stuck  _ babysitting _ ). 

“Plus we get to eat popcorn and Dad ordered takeout since they’re both working late tonight. You go get in comfy clothes and I’ll set everything up,” Alex orders. Kara stands, hesitates, bites her lip and turns to Alex.

“Comfy is like… comfortable?” she clarifies.

“Yeah,” Alex snickers. “Like what I’m wearing.” She gestures down to her raggedy Midvale High softball team sweatpants and faded surf champion t-shirt. Her hair is up in a messy bun and she’s wearing mismatched fuzzy socks. 

“Okay. I can do that.  _ Comfy _ ,” she murmurs, repeating the word under her breath as if committing it to memory. Alex just smiles as she drops to her knees and tries to decide what movie to watch first. By the time she’s set up the movies (chronological order will do, she decides), Kara is back in a pair of her old gray sweatpants and a bright yellow t-shirt her mom had picked up for Kara at a Walmart.

“Comfy!” Kara squeals, throwing her arms out to her sides and rising to her toes, beaming with pride. Alex smiles, forgetting for a moment that she had wanted to not like her foster sister and laughs.

“Yeah, comfy. Congrats, kid. Now, you get settled on the couch while I make popcorn.” Kara is settled in the corner of the couch, nestled under blankets with a pillow on her lap while Alex pours the kernels into the popcorn machine. 

Kara closes her eyes, hums a Kryptonian lullaby softly. Adjusting to Earth has been difficult. She’s felt lost since discovering Kal-El was all grown up and didn’t need her protection, lonely since he had left her here with the Danvers. Oh, Jeremiah and Eliza were nice and seemed to care about her, but Alex really seemed to resent her presence. She’d gotten better, slowly but Kara was still alone. Still reeling from the loss of her parents, her friends, her entire world. And with the arrival of her powers, she felt even more out of place, confused, scared. But now, here, covered in blankets and having a movie marathon with Alex she was finally starting to feel like she might be okay here.

And then, there was an explosion. 

“Ahh!” Kara leaps off the couch (breaking the springs and structure) and hovers in the air for a moment before falling to the ground. There’s another explosion, followed by three more. It sounds like Krypton, shattering and breaking apart before her eyes. Kara scrambles to the only safe place she can think of: under the dining room table. She huddles under there, knees drawn up to her chest and hands over her ears, as the explosions become more rapid. It hurts her ears and she’s crying, breathing heavy as she can see Krypton splitting into pieces, rocketing off into thousands of little shards and knocking her off course. She can see everything she’s ever known being blown into smithereens, imagines bodies and hair and skin and organs mixing with chunks of metal and rock as the entire world dies.

“Kara!” Alex is calling out to her and Kara is crying, shaking, can’t move. But then, the explosions stop. “Kara,” Alex whispers. But the words are still too much. She can’t remember how to breathe, let alone how to focus her senses. Kara looks up briefly and yelps when she accidentally looks right through Alex, through the building and all the way out to the water.

“No, no, no,” Kara whimpers, squeezing her eyes shut and begins to rock back and forth.

“Kara, look at me,” Alex insists quietly. Kara opens her eyes, wincing when she sees Alex’s bones rather than her face. She shuts them again. “No, Kara, kid, come on. Look at me and focus on me, hmm?”

“No, I c-can’t!” Kara slaps her hands over her ears now but it’s still too loud.

“What can I do?” Alex whispers, a little desperate. This is the first time her parents had left her alone with Kara (she can still hear her mother-  _ “Take care of her, Alex. You’re the big sister. She’s your responsibility, now. We’re trusting you.” _ ) and Alex was failing. Kara hums a scared little note.

“H-hold me. Make me f-feel… here,” Kara whimpers. Immediately, Alex crawls under the table fully and pulls Kara into her lap. Kara immediately folds herself around Alex like origami. Her legs wrapped around Alex’s back, one arm slung over her shoulder and the other around her back, her head tucked into Alex’s shoulder. Alex just held her as tight as she dared. When Kara stopped shaking, she raked her fingers through Kara’s hair, scratching her scalp lightly. 

“What happened?” Alex asks after a little while.

“The explosions- it sounded like… It was very loud,” Kara admits, her voice shaking. 

“Explosions?” Alex continues scratching at her head, slow and soothing.

“Many… Many explosions. Things… bursting. Couldn't you hear them? Alex, they were so  _ loud _ . It sounded like we were under attack!” Kara says fervently. Alex lets out a quiet ‘ohhh’.

“Kara, that was… that was the popcorn machine,” Alex chuckles sadly. Kara just whines.

“Oh, I… It sounded like…”

“It’s okay. I probably should have warned you that popcorn can be… loud like that,” Alex says quickly, feeling the way Kara is tensing and frowning. “It’s… Would it help if I told you how it worked?” Kara nods, wiping at the tears on her cheeks. “Okay, come with me.” Alex nudges her to crawl out from under the table. Kara holds tight onto Alex’s hand, sticking right by her side as Alex leads her into the kitchen.

“This machine makes popcorn,” Alex explains, keeping her voice soft and slow. Kara runs her free hand over the different parts of the machine. Alex squeezes her other hand and hands her a piece of popcorn. “This stuff is popcorn. It’s made of these special corn kernels.” She places a kernel in Kara’s hand. Rolling it between her thumb and forefinger, Kara looks back up at Alex, waiting for her to continue. “That hard outside part is a shell. Or, I think it’s technically called the hull? But it’s a shell. To keep it simple, it’s a shell,” Alex rambles. Pausing a moment, she tosses a piece of popped popcorn into the air and catches it, winking at Kara to make her giggle.

“So, inside the shell there’s a tiny little drop of water. When you heat up the kernel, the water turns to steam. The steam creates pressure in the shell, forcing it out. When the pressure is too much for the shell, it pops. That’s the sound you hear, the shell popping. So, I guess they are little explosions, but… Not, like, dangerous ones. Just these shells breaking,” Alex shrugs.

“Oh, okay,” Kara nods. She winces. “But maybe- maybe we don’t make popcorn right now? It’s very… very  _ much _ ,” Kara says, wrinkling her nose. She knows that isn’t right but can’t remember what she’s trying to say.

“It’s… a lot? Very loud? Too much?” Alex suggests.

“Yes.” Kara nods decisively.

“Okay.” Alex doesn’t say anything else. She just gets their drinks, finds some candies and chips in the cupboards, takes Kara by the hand again and leads her into the living room. She settles them both on the couch, pulling Kara to lean into her, covering them both with the same blanket. Kara curls into her like a cat, snuggling into Alex’s arm and half in her lap. She runs a lot warmer than Alex and she’s heavy, a weighted pressure on Alex. It’s new, it’s foreign. Alex has always sat by herself during family movie nights.

But Kara still has tear tracks on her face and she’s shaking slightly. She purrs like a cat when Alex plays with her hair again. Alex never really wanted a little sister. She’s spent the past month trying to ignore Kara, pretend people aren’t calling them sisters. She didn’t want to be responsible for someone else, couldn’t handle that pressure. But right here, right now, it felt good to hold Kara, to protect her (even if it was just protection from popcorn and bad thoughts). 

Alex thinks maybe, just maybe, she could get used to being a big sister.


	16. Surprise! Wait, Why Are You Crying?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Surprise parties are hostile. The Danvers family finds this out the hard way.

Figuring out Kara’s birthday was difficult when she first arrived on Earth. Krypton had a different orbital pattern around their sun and their years were much longer, compared to Earth’s. It took Jeremiah, Eliza and Clark a month and a half to figure out the Earth equivalent of her birthday: October 4th. It was a few months away by the time they figured it out but already the Danvers were thinking about her birthday party. 

“It’s her first birthday on Earth, Alex. It should be special,” Jeremiah explained. Eliza had taken Kara with her to the grocery store to help Kara get better with her vocabulary and her understanding of Earth currency.

“Right, I get that. But she doesn’t even have any friends here, Dad. Who are we going to invite?  _ My _ friends?” Alex scoffs. She doesn’t even  _ have _ that many friends. She certainly doesn’t want to share them with the alien currently residing in her house (she refuses to refer to her as her  _ sister, _ despite what her parents say).

“She’ll be enrolled in school by then. She’ll make friends. But yeah, you can invite your friends. We’ll figure that out when it comes time. Now, your mother wants us to talk  _ theme _ ,” he smiles, rolling his eyes slightly. And despite the fact that it’s July and they’re planning a party for October for an unwelcome stranger in her home, Alex laughs and smiles and helps her dad.

 

That doesn’t stop her from complaining to Vicky, though.

“And they wanna make it a stupid surprise party. How dumb is that?” Alex scoffs. They were lying in Vicky’s bed, Alex’s head in Vicky’s lap. More and more often they spent their days at Vicky’s house (Alex wanted to escape Kara with her big, sad eyes and her stupid superpowers that let her hear everything Alex said or did- plus, Vicky’s bed was much more comfortable).

“No, surprise parties are great! What do you have against them?” Vicky laughs, running a hand through Alex’s long, dark curls. The air conditioning in her room suddenly got colder making Alex shiver (she wonders why she’s so cold here even though it’s so damn hot).

“I dunno,” Alex mutters letting her eyes flutter closed. “They’re just… Surprise parties are a little… hostile, aren’t they? Like, uh- I dunno, I mean, think about it! It’s dark and people jump out at you, yelling. It’s just… It’s hostile! Stop laughing at me,” Alex giggles, turning to look up at a chuckling Vicky while poking her in the belly. “I’m serious!”

“Oh my God, Danvers, who hurt you? What do you have against surprise parties?” Vicky teased through the laughter. Alex just crosses her arms over her chest and pouts dramatically. “You’re such a weirdo.”

“Aw, but you like me anyway, right?” Alex asks, batting her eyelashes.

“Course I do. You’re  _ my _ weirdo and I love you for it. Now, shut up and help me pick a movie! We can complain about the damn party when it’s closer.” Alex sits up, ignoring the way her tummy flutters at the way VIcky called her  _ hers _ and said she  _ loved her _ . Because the room is just cold and she’s a little hungry and Vicky is her best friend, of course they love each other.

 

Summer ends and Eliza works harder to plan Kara’s party.

She and Jeremiah insist that Alex needs to help her make friends so that she can fit in. Alex is just trying not to lose any of her  _ own _ friends to Kara’s weirdness. However, she saw the benefit in getting Kara her own friends; then she wouldn’t always be tagging around Alex and her friends. Thankfully, after the incident at the beach, Kara starts hanging out with a few kids who thought she was a hero. The day of the party was getting closer and Kara’s new friends were invited and Alex was desperately trying to convince her parents to tell Kara about it.

“Mom, please, just let me warn her. I don’t think the surprise party is a good idea,” Alex insists. Kara was out on the beach enjoying the sunshine, hopefully far away enough so that she wouldn’t accidentally overhear.

“Alex, sweetheart, surprise parties are fun. I know you’re probably still resentful of your sister-”

“Mom, that’s not- I’m not  _ resentful _ ,” Alex interrupts, scoffing. Her cheeks are pink and she crosses her arms over her chest petulantly.

“Then why do you refuse to call her your sister?” Eliza raises an eyebrow and Alex just shrugs, not looking at her mother.

“That’s not the  _ point _ . Surprise parties are- are- they’re hostile and stuff. Y’know what, nevermind. I’m going over to Vicky’s house to do homework,” she grumbles. She stalks away from her mother without another word, grabbing her backpack and jumping on her bike, pedalling as fast as she could to just  _ get away _ if only for a few hours.

 

Finally, the day comes. Eliza takes Kara out to the mall after school to keep her out of the house while Jeremiah and Alex (and Vicky) decorate and get everything ready. Around five o’clock, Kara’s few friends start arriving. Most of them are 8th graders, like Kara. But she is friendly with a couple of seventh graders and a ninth grade girl. Alex, meanwhile, invited Vicky (which she really thinks should have been a given- they are best friends after all) and her other friend Meredith.

“Okay, shhhh, she’s pulling in. Everyone be quiet,” Jeremiah whisper-shouts at everyone when he noticed Eliza’s car driving around the block once. Everyone hid behind couches, in crevices, under chairs while Jeremiah and Alex turned off all of the lights. Alex wobbled trying to balance on her toes and Vicky held her hand to hold her steady. Alex smiles in the darkness, briefly wondering if this plan would all be ruined when Kara hears all the different heartbeats, all the people breathing. She barely even has time to say anything before the door is opening and everyone’s popping up to their feet as Eliza turns the lights on.

“Surprise!” Everyone shouts. Kara flinches immediately, taking a step back. She’s looking at everyone with wide eyes, her mouth opening and closing silently. 

“I-” she squeaks once before the tears start to fall and she runs out the still-open front door and down the porch. Everyone remains frozen for a moment before Jeremiah and Eliza go after her.

“Told you surprise parties are hostile,” Alex mutters darkly to Vicky.

“I don’t understand. My best birthday party ever was a surprise party,” Vicky sighs, moving to collapse on the couch.

“You were, like, five,” Alex snorts.

“Excuse you, I was seven.”

“You see my point?” Alex shoots her a pointed look before glancing back at the front door. Clearly Kara isn’t coming back right now. She turns, clasping her fingers together awkwardly to address Kara’s friends, all of whom are whispering nervously. “Uh, guys, Kara will be fine. It’s really- nothing we did. Sometimes she just… gets overwhelmed,” Alex explains.

“By a birthday party? What is she, a sped?” someone murmurs, snickering quietly. Alex turns to find him- the little twelve year old punk in the back of the room who thinks because h hit a growth spurt that Alex wouldn’t kick his ass. Sure, Kara was weird and she would sometimes stare off into space or close her eyes tight because her powers were acting up and over-stimulating her senses. But Alex wouldn’t let some punk call her a ‘sped’, a nasty slur for the kids in the special ed classes at school.

“What the hell did you just say?” Alex challenges, stalking across the room to glare at him. He opens his mouth as if to actually repeat it and she holds up a hand to stop him. “Don’t. I heard you. Because first of all, that word is ridiculously rude and offensive and shouldn’t be used as an insult. And second of all, asswipe, she’s overwhelmed because both her parents died. Her whole family died and this is her first birthday without them. And yeah, sometimes things get too loud for her and she kind of shuts down but I consider that a normal reaction to losing your whole world like she did. So I don’t wanna hear you- or anyone- ever call  _ my sister _ a sped. Because I don’t care if you’re a whole head taller than me because I will kick your ass.”

“I think you should leave,” Vicky says, softly but no less fiercely. Mumbling and grumbling, the boy leaves. Clearing her throat, Alex turns to everyone else.

“So, um, you can stay, wait, see what happens. See if she calms down and comes back. But, uh, I need to go check on them. So please, eat. We have plenty of food. Uh, Vicky, can you make sure no one destroys the house,” she adds. Vicky nods and Alex grabs her coat and shoes and runs out the front door, glancing around, she finds her parents climbing up the embankment that leads down to the water. Pulling on her coat, leaving her shoelaces untied, she races down to meet them halfway.

“Where is she?” Alex asks breathlessly.

“Alex, honey, she really doesn’t want to talk right now. She’s down on the beach looking at the stars. I think she needs a few minutes to be alone and… remember,” Jeremiah says softly.

“C’mon, she’s my sister! I just wanna check on her!” Eliza gasps softly and Alex’s eyes widen, realizing what she just said. For the second time tonight. “She’s… She’s my sister. She is. And I know I wasn’t… nice… okay, so I was a brat but she’s my sister and I just wanna go check on her. Please?” Eliza looks like she’s about to say something but Jeremiah steps in first.

“Go. We will go talk to the kids at the party. She really isn’t up for a party tonight,” he says, taking Eliza’s hand and walking back up towards the house. Alex winces as she climbs down the rocks, hoping this won’t affect Kara’s tentative friendships. She refuses to think about it any more as she carefully makes her way down the rocky path to find Kara down the beach, sitting in the sand, staring up at the sky. Her knees are drawn into her chest and her shoulders are shaking lightly.

“Kara?” Alex calls, not wanting to startle her. Kara just shakes her head, mouthing words silently. Alex continues her slow approach before sitting down next to her. “Too loud?” she whispers.

“N-no,” Kara replies. The moon is full tonight and Alex watches the tears sliding down her sister’s face.

“Do you want a hug?” Alex knew better than to just hug her. The first time she had tried that when Kara had just arrived, she ended up with bruises for days all over her ribcage. Sometimes, Kara’s senses were overloaded and she couldn’t stand to be touched.

“Y-yes ple-please,” she whimpered. She wrapped her arms around Kara’s shoulders, letting the younger girl rest her head on her shoulder. “I just mi-miss them,” she finally says through a hiccup.

“It’s okay to miss them,” Alex tells her. “Especially on your birthday. Just as long as you know that they would want you to celebrate. Or, I guess… Not be so sad on your birthday.” Kara chuckles, wiping at tears. They sit in silence for a few minutes, Alex holding onto Kara. Slowly, the tears aren’t really falling anymore.

“Did you know… we didn’t really celebrate birthdays. Back home, I mean,” Kara said eventually. She shifts, lets her knees fall down and Alex adjusts her grip on Kara, waiting for her to keep talking. “We had… We knew our birthdays- we called them something more like name days. We knew them but we didn’t have big parties or presents. I mean, why do you get presents just for being alive?” Alex laughs.

“Because it’s fun? I don’t know,” she chuckles. Kara pulls away and Alex turns, one arm still around Kara’s waist, Kara’s head on her shoulder and holding her hand.

“Anyway, we didn’t celebrate like that. All we did on our name days was pray to Rao and thank him for letting us make another rotation around his orbit. Sometimes, we might have a person’s favorite meal for dinner on their name day. But other than that it was… just another day.” She sighs. “I’m sorry for crying and running out. I know everyone will think I am… a freak.”

“No, no, it’s fine. I talked to them. Explained you were… missing home. If they’re not incompetent, insensitive low lives they’ll understand and it will be fine. Now, do you want to stay out here a few more minutes?” Alex says gently, moving a loose strand of Kara’s hair behind her ear. “Or we’ve got plenty of party food inside- pizza, chips, potstickers, cake, the good stuff. You can do whichever you want.”

“I think… I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hungry,” Alex says, rolling her eyes.

“Hey,” Kara whines. But her stomach grumbles, betraying her. Her cheeks turn pink and Alex starts to shiver in the chilly night air. “Okay, well, let’s go inside so I can eat and you can get warm. I learned that humans are not supposed to get too cold or else they will die. And I do not want you to die, so let’s go.” Kara stands quickly, pulling Alex up with her. Alex is laughing, kicking up sand as she runs and tries to keep up with Kara- her  _ little sister _ . 

“I’m not going to die from a chill,” Alex tells her. 

“Well, I am not taking a risk. Come on,” Kara smiles, even though Alex can still see the tear tracks on her face.

 

Later that evening, after pizza and cake and potstickers and ice cream have all been eaten, Kara will cry again. She will cry into her pizza and crumple, devastated that for a moment, she allowed herself to forget. She was eating pizza and laughing with the Danvers and opening presents and for just a moment, she allowed herself to forget that her entire world was gone and she would never again see the great and noble House of El all sitting down with her to pray and to thank Rao for allowing Kara’s continued existence. She will cry and she will scream and she will hate herself.

And that night, she will fall to her knees and pray, tears in her eyes.

And Alex will be watching, pretending to be asleep at first. But then she joins Kara, repeats the prayer. The Kryptonian is heavy on her tongue, foreign and she knows her words are awkwardly accented and pronounced. But Kara will smile and hold her hand while they pray together and then Alex will take Kara into her bed and hold her while she falls asleep, hold her when she wakes up screaming from nightmares of watching her whole world burn.

She’s not a perfect big sister but Kara knows she’s trying and that’s all she needs right now. 


	17. Crinkle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Development of Alex and Kara and the Crinkle™.

Alex first noticed it when they were having dinner on Kara’s first night. 

The girl was still in her white, flowy outfit, declining to change when offered a pair of Alex’s pajamas. She was pushing the food around her plate, looking at it curiously. Alex figured that it was probably hard to go from Kryptonian delicacies to American chop suey at Chez Danvers. But she was trying to be a good sister (even though no one even  _ asked her _ if she wanted to be a sister in the first place- but she digresses) and she tried to convince Kara to eat with mimed actions and enthusiastic smiles.

But still, there was a crinkle between her eyebrows (it drew attention to the scar above Kara’s left eyebrow and Alex wondered what had caused it). She wasn’t quite frowning, most likely raised to be polite even if she didn’t like the food she was served. She wasn’t quite frowning, but she was absolutely pouting slightly. Alex decided to keep an eye out for the crinkle. If Kara wouldn’t tell her when something was wrong, hopefully Alex could rely on the crinkle to tell her.

 

The crinkle showed up quite often during the first few weeks after Kara’s arrival. When she didn’t understand what Alex was referencing. When she couldn’t get the words to translate properly from her head to her mouth. When she didn’t like the texture of a new food. When the clothes feel heavy and hot and chafe at her skin. When someone is being figurative and Kara thinks they’re being literal, prompting more confusion. When she’s trying to hide her mounting panic attacks and sensory overloads. When she’s missing her parents or remembering the sound of Krypton dying.

Alex figured out that the crinkle was one of Kara’s tells. And whenever it showed up, Alex would approach her, arms out, ready for a hug if Kara wanted it. She’d hold her tight if she was upset or scared or sad or overwhelmed. She’d explain what she was talking about or try to help Kara translate the words if she was confused. She would even try and help Kara in the kitchen by making new recipes that could closely resemble Kryptonian food. Over time, Alex and Kara had a system: whenever Kara’s crinkle appeared, Alex was there to help her.

“How do you do that?” Kara asked one day, about a year after she had arrived. Her voice was still thickly accented with her native Kryptonian tongue. Alex had just helped her head off a sensory overload without Kara even having to say anything.

“Do what?” Alex hums as she gets Kara a glass of water and some bags of potato chips.

“You always know when I am… am…” Kara huffed in frustration as she couldn’t find the right word.

“Frustrated?” Alex supplies. “Angry? Upset?”

“Yes! That one! The up-set! How do you always know when I am… the up-set?” Kara asks, sipping the water. It’s warm- apparently, the temperature difference helped Kara to taste it better (Alex had argued that water had no real taste but Kara swore that her heightened senses noticed a difference).

“First of all, it’s not ‘the upset’ it’s just upset. You are upset, or you  _ feel _ upset. Just… for clarification.” Kara nods eagerly, always ready to learn more about Earth’s grammar rules or societal conventions. “And second, I always know because of the crinkle,” Alex shrugs.

“Crinkle? What is a crinkle?” Alex smiles.

“It means a couple of different things. A crinkle can be a sound, like this,” she explains, gently crinkling the potato chip bag so as not to bother Kara’s senses. “But it can also be a word that means a physical crinkle, like a wrinkle between two things. Like, see, when I do this with my napkin, this little fold right here is a crinkle.” Kara leans close to Alex to watch her trace the crinkle in her napkin.

“So, what did  _ you _ mean? The crinkle sound or the crinkle of the napkin?” Alex smiles, watching the crinkle between Kara’s eyebrows form as she tries to puzzle this out.

“That crinkle, right between your eyebrows,” Alex smirks, poking at it gently. “Whenever you’re starting to get upset or angry or overwhelmed, your eyebrows crinkle up like this. You can’t always see it in the rest of your face; you’re not always frowning and you try really hard not to show you’re upset but the crinkle gives it away every time.” 

“Oh,” Kara sighs softly, absorbing the information. 

“Kar?” Alex asks after a while. “Why don’t you tell us when you’re upset? We- my mom, my dad and I- we all want to help you and make sure you’re okay. You can tell us when you’re not feeling great.”

“I just… I do not want to sound… Like I am not happy here. I am very thankful that you took me in. But I was raised to be a leader, to be a… a scientist on Krypton. I was smart. I was… I was raised to be better, to not complain, to protect my cousin, to be perfect. I… I want to be perfect here,” Kara explains softly. Alex nods; she absolutely understands the need to be perfect. Her parents always pushed her  _ so hard _ to be better, to be the best. She loved them and she knew they just wanted her to succeed, but it was still a lot of pressure for a kid.

“I get that. But… you don’t have to be perfect with me. If you want, you can be… upset and angry and sad with me. And, if it’s alright with you, I could be not-perfect with you. It can be like… our pact.”

“Pact?”

“Like an oath, or an agreement. A pact is a promise you make to someone.” Kara nods, biting her lip.

“Okay. We can be… not-perfect together,” she says, holding out her hand, beaming. “A handshake is how you show a sign of agreement. I learned this from the TV!” Alex laughs and takes Kara’s hand.

“Ah! Too tight,” Alex grunts. Kara immediately loosens her grip, fear clouding her features. “Don’t worry about it. It’s fine. We can be not-perfect together, right?” Alex assures her. Kara nods once. Alex pokes her forehead again. “Crinkle.” Kara just giggles, the crinkle vanishing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am struggling to come up with these scenarios right now so unless I get some specific prompts that focus on the early Kara-Alex sister bonding and relationship or the muses come to me, this might be the last chapter for a while. I'm working on some other multi-chapter fics right now but none of them are ready to be published just yet, so hang tight! Also, thanks for reading and please leave a comment if you liked this or if you have a specific prompt!!


	18. Not So Perfect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! This one goes out to DawnB and iamdeltas who both requested to see Alex having a chance to be not-so-perfect with Kara and dealing with disappointing Eliza. Enjoy!

“Alex, it’s just one test,” Vicky whispers to her distraught friend. “In the grand scheme of things, this test means, like nothing. Less than nothing. It's just-”

“Vicky, stop. I  _ know _ that,” Alex interrupts harshly. But still, she’s bent over the second to last cubicle in the third floor girl’s bathroom, trying to calm her raging stomach. And Vicky just sighs, readjusts her grip on Alex’s long, beautiful hair to rub her best friend’s back.

“I know, Ally. I know you know but sometimes you forget, right? And really, you’re still the smartest kid in our school. This is an AP Calc BC class and you’re only a freshman. You’re not even supposed to be allowed to take these classes yet, so really, can they even be that upset? Like, you’re still the smartest one there, even compared to the seniors taking it,” she says softly. Alex thinks she could cry, already imagining Eliza’s lecture.

“I just didn’t study enough. I got distracted,” Alex whispers, finally letting herself sit up once it’s clear that she’s done throwing up. She thinks back to that night last week when she had been studying.

_“Alex, what are you doing?”_ _Kara asks curiously, coming to sit on the edge of Alex’s bed. She folds her legs into her chest, just like she always sees Alex do._

_ “Studying. I’ve got a test tomorrow,” she says quickly. As she shifts her notebook to look into her textbook, she catches Kara peering at it. _

_ “Oh! Calculus! I was very good at calculus when I learned it on Krypton,” Kara beams. Alex just squints at her. _

_ “When did you learn it?” _

_ “I was five. So… your equivalent is the… kid-garden?” Kara asks, eyes impossibly wide and blue while Alex just stares incredulously. _

_ “Kindergarten. You learned Calc BC- a class that most people don’t take until college, if they take it at all- you learned that in kindergarten?” And fuck if that doesn’t just make Alex’s blood boil. Because they all knew Kara was smart. She was a genius, even by Kryptonian standards. But Alex allowed herself to forget because she just wanted one thing where she could shine, where she could make her parents proud. _

_ “Yes! Do you need help? It’s been a while since I did it, but perhaps I could help you study!” And Kara’s smiling so brightly and so eager but Alex can’t help but be jealous. _

_ “No, I’m fine. You should work on your English stuff, shouldn’t you?” Alex puts a little edge into her voice, the tiniest hint of condescension. Kara doesn’t notice it. _

_ “Oh! Yes! I just wanted to take a break. But I should get back. Thank you for reminding me, Alex!” And she runs back to her room- so fast she’s basically floating and it reminds Alex that her sister is always going to be so much more  _ super _ than she is, so much better- leaving Alex alone. _

_ For the rest of the time she tries to study, she gets distracted. She sits there laboring over the problems until she imagines a toddler-sized Kara breezing through these problems that make Alex’s head hurt and white hot jealousy burns in her stomach until finally, she gives up and puts the book away. _

“They don’t even have to know,” Vicky says carefully, standing and following Alex as her best friend goes to wash out her mouth and rinse off her face. Checking her watch, they realize it’s almost time to head back from lunch.

“Mr. Munzer says anyone who failed needs to get a parent’s signature on it,” Alex deadpans after spitting the water back into the sink.

“I could fake it,” Vicky offers.

“He’ll know!” she whines. “And then they’ll get even more pissed at me and I’ll be grounded until I die.” they pull their backpacks onto their shoulders and join the throng of students heading back from the lunch room.

“Well, let me know how it goes later. If they don’t let you use the phone or the computer, have Kara send me messages, or something. I’ll be on IM all night waiting,” Vicky promises. She opens her arms and Alex falls into her best friend’s side, letting Vicky wrap her arm around Alex’s shoulder and hold her close.

“Thanks, Vick,” she whispers, closing her eyes for a moment and letting herself relax before they part ways for their next class.

 

“We expected better from you, Alexandra. You’re not setting a very good example for your sister,” her mother says, her tone laced with heavy doses of disapproval. She had planned to ask her dad to sign the test- he was always more forgiving and willing to listen, even if he would be just as disappointed, hold her to just as high a standard. It would have been easier to tell him, she thinks. But her dad was pulled away for work and wouldn’t be back until tomorrow night and Alex needed the test signed by tomorrow morning. So Alex had tried to slip it into a stack of papers her mom needed to sign but Eliza, clever, thorough, detail-oriented Eliza, noticed and had spent the past half an hour lecturing her eldest daughter on duty and responsibility and the importance of hard work and dedication.

“Mom, AP Calc is really hard for the seniors, and I’m just a freshman! I’m not the only one who failed!” Alex yells back, tears stinging her eyes. She’d been holding them back for as long as she could but it had finally spilled over now and she was shaking.

“Alex, don’t shout. You know it upsets Kara,” her mother says harshly. And Alex does feel guilty. She knows Kara is likely sitting in her room with hands over her ears, just trying to block out the incessant noises pounding through her skull. But she’s so pissed, so upset, so  _ sad _ that she can’t bring herself to stop yelling.

“Oh, well it’s always about Kara, isn’t it?! Never mind that I’m killing myself trying to meet your expectations! I’m in a class for college-aged kids and I’ve barely hit  _ puberty _ !” Alex yells, her cheeks going pink in her frustration. “So yeah, I’m not a genius like Kara and AP Calc is hard, and I’ll study better next time. I’m  _ sorry _ Mom, okay? I’m  _ sorry _ I’m not the perfect daughter you want me to be!” And with all the rage a fourteen- almost fifteen thank you very much- year old can muster, Alex storms off. She ignores her mom’s shoults of “ Alexandra Elizabeth Danvers, don’t you dare walk away from me!” She storms upstairs, grabs her sweatshirt, her backpack and her sneakers before running out the front door faster than her mother can catch her and she’s on her bike and pedalling to the park.

Kara shows up within ten minutes when it took Alex nearly twenty to get there.

“You shouldn’t use your speed like that,” Alex says wearily from her spot on the swing, not even looking up. It’s dark now and the park is deserted. Alex has sat on the swings backwards, staring out at the water instead of in towards the playground, like most people do. She’s facing the ocean, but staring at her feet.

“You needed me,” Kara says simply, knowing it was true. She pauses, waiting until Alex looks up, still dragging her toes in the wood chips, tears streaming freely down her cheeks. 

“Well, sit down, dork,” Alex invites, jerking her head towards the open swing. Kara sits happily and begins to swing gently, loving the way it feels sort of like flying. “I failed my Calc test. Like, got a 50% failed it,” Alex says after a minute. Kara doesn’t say that she knew, doesn’t say that she knew from the moment she heard Alex’s heartbeat spike in school. She had trained herself to memorize Alex’s without even trying and she was always listening. When she heard it spike, Kara had panicked herself and tried to listen for her sister. She doesn’t tell Alex that she had used her powers and heard her throwing up, heard Vicky trying to comfort her.

“Why?” she asks. Alex just bites her lip, shakes her head. Kara can hear the way she inhales, shaking and trying to hold herself together. Kara thinks she would be able to hear that even without her powers. “Alex, we are not-perfect together, remember?” Kara reminds her gently. So, Alex takes a deep breath. And she starts to talk.

“You’re so… You’re so smart, Kara. You knew calculus before I even knew how to add two plus two and I’m sitting here trying to wrap my head around these concepts that you just  _ get _ . And I was jealous, and i was frustrated, and I was pissed. So I blew off your offer to help and I couldn’t focus on studying because I was so jealous… And then I failed and I just… I try… I try  _ so hard _ to be what they want me to be. I want to be perfect, I want to make them happy but she makes it so  _ impossible _ . And I just… I just like coming out here… To breathe, I guess. But you’re right… I did need you, I think,” Alex finishes softly. She turns her head to find Kara smiling at her softly. “I’m sorry. It’s not your fault you’re so smart. I just…”

“It’s okay to get jealous, sometimes. It is only… Only human. This is the expression, yes?” Kara asks. Alex nods and Kara beams. “Good. Jealousy is only human. And we have a pact! So when you are feeling only human, or jealous or not-perfect, you can talk to me. And I will talk to you!” Alex laughs, a little watery and tearful. She suddenly sobers.

“Mom’s really mad, isn’t she?” she asks. 

“She’s scared. She doesn’t like it when you take off,” Kara informs her, reaching across the gap between them to hold Alex’s hand. “But she might also be a little mad. But that’s okay. When you want to go back, I’ll go with you, and I won’t let her be too mad.” Kara’s smile is infectious and soon Alex is wiping away tears with her free hands and smiling back.

“Okay,” Alex says softly, squeezing Kara’s hands.

“Can we swing now?” Kara asks, a childish excitement leaking into her voice. Alex just laughs and smiles, nodding. They hold hands while they swing, tipping their heads back as they swing back, eyes closed, feeling like flying. And when they’re at the apex of their swing, Alex counts down and they jump off together, still holding hands. Without meaning to, Kara’s powers kick in and they float down slowly, like feathers. Alex knows she should be mad- Kara’s not supposed to use her powers, after all. But she can’t bring herself to schold Kara because that feeling- floating and falling and flying all at the same time- it’s the best she’s felt in ages.

She holds onto that feeling when she finally has to go home and face her mother’s punishment. And she holds onto it for years and years, trying to replicate that feeling with dancing and drinking and drugs and boys and boys and boys. Until one day, after Alex’s plane has fallen from the sky and Kara has come out to everyone, she takes her flying again. And Alex remembers how to be not perfect with her sister again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you have any more situations you'd like to see, I'm all ears. Drop a comment, hit kudos. I thrive on your validation!


	19. Human Reproduction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara just didn't understand the human reproductive system. Why did it have to be so... messy? And painful?

“Mom,” Alex groans, clutching at her lower abdomen and wincing in pain. “Please? I’m  _ dying _ .” Immediately, Kara is at Alex’s side, eyes wide with fear and shining with tears. She’s wringing her hands and Alex has to stop herself from jumping a mile in the air.

“Alex? Why are you dying? Eliza? Is everything alright? I do not want Alex to die. Should we get her to a-a-a hos-pit-al?” Kara asks, sounding out the word. She’d barely been with the Danvers for a month but her photographic memory and Kryptonian ability to process language helped her learn English quickly. Not to say that it wasn’t still heavily accented, but still intelligible.

“No, Alexandra is not dying. Everything is fine, Kara. She’s just being dramatic,” Eliza said, (ignoring Alex’s muttered “sure feels like I’m dying,”) stroking Kara’s hair. They’d found out quickly that, while Kara sometimes had trouble with physical responses to touch, she reacted like a cat when someone pet her hair. Something about the soft, repetitive, gentle movement soothed her. Like always, Kara immediately relaxed into the touch before stepping away, crinkle forming between her eyebrows as she looks back to Alex, nostrils flaring.

“Are you sure? She smells like blood. I know because Jeremiah cut his finger the other day and blood has a distinctive smell and Alex smells like a lot of blood. Is she bleeding?” Alex squirms when Kara looks at her, wondering if the alien is trying to use her x-ray vision on her.

“Don’t do that,” Alex whispers crossly, blushing. Kara immediately closes her eyes, pouting.

“I couldn’t even get it to work,” she explains half-heartedly, turning back to Eliza. “I just want to see where she’s bleeding. What if it’s inside of her? She could die, Eliza! I do not want my new family to die,” she insists. And for a moment, Alex feels bad for her wording. Because Kara’s family had  _ just _ died (at least in her mind, it was recent) and here Alex was being cavalier and dramatic about her own death.

“Alex is  _ not dying _ ,” Eliza repeats calmly but firmly. “She’s on her menstrual cycle,” she adds.

“Mom!” Alex squawks indignantly.

“We’re all girls here, honey,” her mom reminds her.

“What does that mean?” Kara asks, head cocked to the side like a confused puppy.

“It’s a byproduct of female fertility. Would you like me to explain it to you?” Kara nods eagerly.

“Mom, please, can I go to my room and lie down? I feel like I’m gonna be sick,” Alex groans. Eliza turns to the clock, sighing heavily.

“Just this once. The hot water bottle is under the upstairs bathroom sink. I’ll call the school in a bit,” she says, dismissively waving to Alex, who happily heads toward her room, intent on lying down with the hot water bottle and a bottle of painkillers until this nausea subsides.

 

It's a few hours later, after Kara has eaten her fourth portion of the lunch Eliza had made and Alex’s cramps were being managed by the painkillers and hot water bottle, when Kara comes knocking on Alex’s door looking slightly ill and overall very confused.  _ Crinkle _ , Alex thinks wryly.

“What’s wrong, Kar?” she asks, sitting up with a wince to make room for Kara on the end of the bed. Kara sits carefully, not looking at Alex and fiddling with the ends of her sleeves.

“I do not… The human reproductive system is…” Kara trails off, growing frustrated as she tries to find the correct word.

“Gross? Vile? Disgusting? Annoying? The worst?” Alex supplies with a saccharine smile. Kara nods quickly. “Do Kryptonians like… not have that, or something?”

“Kryptonians are… We do not have natural births, not anymore. Your word for it is… infertile? I think? I don’t know. The Codex makes our matches for us and then we mix our DNA and the child is implanted. Kal-El was the most recent natural birth but he was an anomaly. And we don’t… bleed for a week every month. We just… Go to the Codex.”

“I wish we could do that,” Alex grumbles, crossing her arms over her lower abdomen. She chuckles. “So, did Mom give you the  _ whole _ talk?” Kara wrinkled her nose.

“Sex on Krypton is the same, I think. I already got that talk. The only difference is that sex has nothing to do with reproduction. And humans are… much… more uptight about things. Like sex. Sex things. Eliza explained that there are all of these... Hang-ups. And rules about who can sleep with whom and when and how often. And-”

“Hey, hey, Kara? I’m kind of not feeling great. Could we maybe, like, not have this discussion right now?” Alex sighed, hugging herself tight. She knows the cramps are starting to come back as the pain meds are wearing off and she just wants to sleep.

“Oh, I am sorry, Alex. Eliza also explained that some people don’t like to talk about sex.” Kara pauses. “Are you one of those people?”

“Kara, really, I just don’t feel great,” Alex insisted.

“Can I help? I can get you the medications. Or the tampons? Right? Eliza said they were called tampons. Or pads. Oh! Should I pretend to have mine, too? At school sometimes? I should! I think I should!” Kara smiles, bouncing on the bed in her excitement. Alex just frowns at her.

“Kara. Please, let’s just- let’s watch a movie, okay?” Alex invites Kara under her covers as they curl up together as Alex puts on the TV in her room. She felt like crap and just wanted to sleep, but it kind of felt nice to cuddle like this. Alex fell asleep sometime during a crappy made-for-TV movie and Kara stayed there until Alex woke, moaning and in need of more ibuprofen. Kara immediately jumps up to help her and Alex thinks it’s nice, having someone to help take care of her like this. 

Maybe she could get used to having a little sister.


	20. Left Out

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A request this time! From Bandygirl: "How about Kara not wanting to be left out on Alex's first date?”

“I can’t believe Ethan Scranton asked you out!” Vicky giggled, jumping up and down and squeezing Alex’s arm. Alex nodded, smiling at her best friend. Because Ethan was the  _ hottest _ boy in their grade and all of the other girls were jealous when he asked her out on a date. Some were jealous to the point of angry, asking each other and whispering, wondering why he’d asked  _ Alex Danvers,  _ the freaky science nerd with the freaky dorky little foster sister. Alex didn’t quite know why either, but she appreciates the attention.

“Me neither,” Alex smiled as they walked down the beach path, taking the long way to Alex’s house from the bus stop. Walking by the ocean always helped Alex to think, helped her figure things out. After Kara came along, Alex used her time walking on the beach as a time to herself. Right now, she just wanted to enjoy the knowledge of Ethan asking her out without Kara pestering her about it.

“Do you think your parents will let you?” Vicky asks, looping their arms as they walk barefoot, jeans cuffed up as high as they’ll go so that they can let the waves lap at their ankles.

“Yeah, I don’t see why not,” Alex shrugs. Why wouldn’t they?

 

“Absolutely not,” Eliza decreed.

“Why not?” Alex says, trying very hard not to whine and stomp her foot.

“Because you have Kara to worry about. And you’re only fifteen. Your focuses should be your family and your studies. Boys come later.” Eliza goes back to her work, dismissal clear in the way she’s no longer even looking at Alex, waiting for her to see herself out. Alex  _ knew _ she should have waited for when both she and dad were in the same room.

“This isn’t fair!” she yells, knowing the loud voices will attract her father from his office next door. Eliza looks up, jaw set.

“Alexandra Caroline Danvers, do  _ not _ raise your voice to me,” she says evenly. Alex blushes, squirming under her mother’s intense gaze, waiting for that beat before he knocked softly and entered.

“Everything alright in here?” he asks, glancing between his wife and daughter, the tension palpable in their stances and stony expressions.

“No,” Alex says at the same time Eliza says, “yes.”

“Alright,” Jeremiah says slowly. He turns to Alex, the easier of the two to deal with at the moment. “Alex, what were you yelling about?”

“Mom isn’t being fair. She’s not even listening to me. Ethan Scranton asked me out on a date and I just want to go to the movies or something with him but she says I can’t because I have to take care of Kara first, Kara and school,” Alex explains, trying to make a reasonable, calm argument free of whining or yelling since she knew her dad would respond better to that. “But I’m doing really well in school and Kara and I have become closer and you have to let me be a teenager! It’s just one date.”

“Okay, your mom and I will discuss this. Why don’t you go wait in your room and when we’re done discussing, we’ll call you in?” he suggests. Alex nods once before complying.

 

“Alex, what is a date?” Kara asks as soon as Alex has entered their shared bedroom. Alex sighs, all hopes of eavesdropping on her parents gone at Kara’s wide eyes and confused puppy dog expression. Alex knew- her parents had told her- that Kara had been a genius on her planet. She was the youngest person ever going to join the Science Guild. She was fluent in more languages than anyone else. She was a prodigy on Krypton, but on Earth, she was always one step behind. 

Math and science courses at her age level on Earth were Kara’s kindergarten studies, the historic, ancient, backward ways of teaching. Fundamental laws of physics were different between the two planets and Kara had to adjust for that. The language was, of course, only a barrier for the first two months before she learned its technicalities but now she was tripped up by the social aspect of life on Earth. She had no concept of pop culture, slang, commonly shared experiences and Alex knew it wore on the girl to go from revered prodigy to awkward, socially stunted fool, so she tried to explain things to her. At first, Alex had resented the responsibility, hated the way other kids teased her because Kara was so weird. But after some time, Alex realized Kara needed her help and Alex had begun to soften toward her little sister.

“A date is like… You had courting, right?” Alex tries. Kara pauses for a moment, trying to find the right Kryptonian equivalent before nodding.

“Right, before marriage. After the Codex has matched us, we must woo our matches to win their consent to the union,” Kara recites. Alex nods.

“Right, this is kind of like that, but not as serious. Like… It’s when two people like each other and are interested in each other… romantically… and they want to kiss and stuff. So they go someplace, or sometimes they stay at home, and they talk and they do activities to determine compatibility. Sometimes it’s just for fun. Sometimes it ends with marriage, and other times it just… ends,” Alex explains patiently.

“And this… Ethan… Do you want to get to know him? And kiss him and… stuff?” Kara asks, head tilting slightly, squinting. Alex blushes.

“Uh… yeah? I guess… He asked me out which means he wants to get to know me and… the other stuff.”

“Are dates fun? What will you do on this date with Ethan?”

“Um… Probably go to a movie? I don’t know we didn’t, like, make plans or- I don’t know! I can’t even get my parents to agree to let me go.” Alex blushes and fidgets with the sleeves of her sweatshirt.

“That sounds like fun! I want to go on a date! I will go talk to Eliza and Jeremiah so that they let you go on a date and then I will also go on a date and have fun, just like you!” Kara giggles, bouncing off her bed and running to the office before Alex can even try to stop her. Alex sighed, facepalming. For the past few weeks, Kara had been going through a “Monkey-see, monkey-do” phase and everything Alex did, Kara had to do, too. Her parents had explained that Kara was just trying to figure out how she fit in on this planet and copying Alex was helping her, so Alex stopped pouting and arguing about it. But that didn’t mean she really loved having a little Kryptonian shadow following her around. Alex sighs, sitting back against the wall and waiting, reading through to figure out what homework she needs to do first until Kara pokes her head out of the office, beaming and ushering Alex down the hall and back into the office.

When she enters, Alex goes to sit next to Kara on the couch, watching her parents both behind her mother’s desk. Kara was bouncing excitedly on the couch and Alex put a hand on her knee to still her. She bit her lip and waited as her parents seemed to have a silent conversation, nodding at each other before Mom spoke.

“We have decided that… you can go out on this date with this Ethan boy,” she says carefully.

“Awesome!” Alex beams and Kara nods, giggling happily. 

“But,” her mother continues. Alex pauses, hesitant. “But, you can only go out if it’s a double date. With Kara, too.” Alex’s jaw drops.  _ Seriously _ ?

“And it has to be in a public place, and we want to meet the boys beforehand,” her dad adds. Alex tries not to appear visibly disappointed, smiling at her parents.

“Thanks, mom, thanks, dad. Really… really, thanks! I’m excited about this,” she smiled. And she was. Now she would get to go out with Ethan and everyone would know she’s normal, would know she’s cool enough for someone to like her. For someone like  _ Ethan _ to like her. It would be a little awkward trying to find a date for Kara, too, especially since everyone thinks she’s a freak. But Alex was confident she could do it.

“Alex, this will be so fun!” Kara giggles. And when she smiled, when she giggled and was happy like this, so carefree, Alex knew that there had to be someone who would like her. Someone who could look past her quirks and enjoy spending time with her. Alex took Kara by the hand, giggling and leading her back to their shared room, thanking their parents again before going off to do homework and talk about their upcoming double date.

 

“So, Ethan, do you have a minute?” Alex asked, blushing shyly. Ethan smirked at his friends, brushing his brown hair out of his blue eyes. Alex knew all of the girls loved his blue eyes. He nodded, taking her by the hand to go lean up against a tree on the edge of the courtyard. He smiled at her, sweeter now that his friends weren’t watching. “Hi,” she squeaked nervously.

“Hey, do you have an idea for what you wanna do for our date? Or when?” he asks, sounding a bit excited himself. Alex blushes deeper. It was nice to feel wanted like this.

“Um, yeah, sort of? I kind of… I have to-”

“Oh, are you canceling?” Ethan asked, deflating slightly.

“No, no,” Alex rushed to assure him. He straightened up, beaming at her. “I just… my parents… it’s stupid, but… My parents don’t, um, they won’t let me go unless Kara- like, my little sister- she needs to come and it’d be, like, a double date thing. So I just… I need to find someone to take Kara with us… And I wondered… if maybe… one of your friends would? Or someone you know?” Alex asked nervously, fiddling with the cuffs of her oversized sweater, pulling the long sleeves down over her fingers and twisting them around, only occasionally glancing up to meet Ethan’s eye. She notices him rubbing the back of his neck, still smiling and shrugging slightly.

“Uh, I can… Y’know, like, I can probably ask around. I know… people aren’t real nice to Kara- and, like, I’m super sorry about that!- but I know… some people do like her. She’s sweet, I guess. Real smart- but not as smart as you are!” he assures Alex. The girl blushes and beams, loving the gentle way Ethan talks, careful to take into account her sister, but also sure to give Alex praise, too. 

“That’d be great, Ethan. Thank you, so much. I’m, um… Really looking forward to this,” she smiles shyly, leaning up onto her tiptoes to kiss his cheek before running away, heading back to her lunch table where Vicky and Amy and their other friends were giggling and waiting for all of the details from Alex. Vicky leaned into Alex, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and holding her close. Alex just blushes more as they press her for details, preening under their attention- and the remnants of Ethan’s of course.

 

In the end, Ethan got his friend Danny to go on the double date with them. Danny was a year younger than Alex and Ethan, but a year older than Kara; Ethan knew Danny from basketball. As it turned out, Danny thought Kara was cute, even if she was a little strange, and wanted to ask her out but was afraid. This was the perfect opportunity for him. So, Kara, Alex, Danny and Ethan decided to go bowling and get pizza the following Friday. Ethan’s older sister was going to drive them all there and Alex’s parents would pick them up afterward. On the night of, Alex was decidedly  _ not _ nervous. Or at least, she tried to convince herself of that because she needed to keep Kara from getting overwhelmed and anxious.

“Alex! Alex, I need to eat first, right? I don’t want to scare people by eating too much. Oh! What are you wearing? I need to pick an outfit. What if Danny doesn’t like my outfit? Will he say something? In the movies and TV shows I watched, why does the girl always lift her foot when she kisses the boy? Is that a human thing? Should I do that if he kisses me? Will he kiss me? What if he doesn’t? I don’t-”

“Kara, please, relax,” Alex begs from her bed. She was so busy trying to keep herself from panicking and she didn’t know if she could do it for Kara, too. “You know Mom is downstairs making you a mountain of food to eat. And you don’t have to kiss him if you don’t want to, and popping your foot is not mandatory or expected. I don’t… If he kisses you and you don’t like it, you can stop any time. If he says something mean about your outfit, tell me and I’ll punch him because I’m putting your outfit together. Come on,” Alex continues, lurching up from the bed and pulling Kara towards their shared closet.

Kara and Alex ended up nearly matching- mostly at Kara’s insistence. They both wore dark wash blue jeans, though Alex’s had rips in the knees. Alex had pulled on a band t-shirt that Ethan had told her looked cool and pulled her red and black flannel over it. Kara had immediately seen it and wanted to wear something similar. Alex ended up giving her a blue and white plaid shirt, buttoned up all the way. Alex smiled, watching Kara giggle and bounce around, asking Alex all of her questions again.

“No, Kara, relax. Go have something to eat and then we’ll go on this double date. It’ll be fine, okay? If you get nervous or have a serious question during the date, you can ask me or just… watch me and I’ll show you,” Alex smiles, ushering her little sister down the stairs towards the pile of spaghetti and chicken waiting for Kara down there. Alex spent the time by herself doing her makeup and taming her hair into careful waves, pinning them artfully as she goes. By the time the boys have arrived and are at the door, Alex is calmer and Kara is trying to act calmer.

“Hi, Dr. Danvers. And, uh… the other Dr. Danvers?” Ethan says, sticking out his hand. Alex giggles and Kara, a moment later, giggles, too. Eliza, at least, looks pleased that Ethan and Danny remembered that they were  _ both _ doctors (Alex had warned them to address her parents that way to placate her mom). After a few awkward pleasantries, they finally get into the car and on their way to the bowling alley. Alex smiled shyly at Ethan before leaning into his side in the backseat. Danny and Kara, sitting on the bench in front of them, quickly copied the move. Perhaps Alex should have seen this as a sign of how the night would progress, but she was far too wrapped up in her own date to pay much attention to Kara in that moment.

 

Throughout the night, it got more and more obvious. When Alex stole one of Ethan's french fries with a giggle and a smirk, Kara quickly snatched a handful from Danny with a forced laugh and a smile. When Alex intertwined her fingers with Ethan while they walked from the concessions area back to the bowling lane, Kara grabbed Danny's hand too. When Ethan offered to help Alex bowl better and get the ball to go where she wants it to, Kara bats her eyelashes and asks Danny to help her too even though Kara has been bowling a pretty perfect game so far. By this point in the night, Alex had started to realize what was happening and each time Kara mimicked her, Alex's cheeks burned red with embarrassment and a little bit of frustration. 

Finally, the night was almost over. 

“Alright well, we don't have enough time for another game before your parents come. Do you just wanna hang out?” Ethan asks, checking his watch. Alex nods, taking his offered hand as they made their way to the arcade games in one corner. It had been a long night and Alex’s head was starting to hurt from the bright disco colored lights, the smell of vomit and cheap food, the constant crashing of bowling pins and kids yelling, and the frustration of dealing with Kara. But Ethan had been nice to her all night so she took his hand and let him lead her over to a claw machine game. She noted that Danny led Kara over to a dancing game on the opposite side of the arcade and she breathed a sigh of relief. 

“I've had a really great time tonight, Ethan,” Alex says shyly, leaning against the side of the game machine while he fished for enough quarters to play. He takes a moment to smile at her. 

“Awesome. I did, too.” Alex hears Kara's laugh and tries not to react. 

“I am sorry about Kara, though. I know she can be… a little weird. A lot weird, actually. But she means well!” Alex insists. Ethan triumphantly fished out the last quarter, putting them into the machine. 

“It's fine. I mean, yeah she's a little weird but she's foreign, right? I figured things are just different where she's from. Now, which stuffed animal do you want?” Alex breathes a sigh of relief, glad her parents had thought up that lie to explain Kara's weirdness. 

“Umm, anything. Whichever one is easiest. Maybe that one?” She suggested, pointing to a stuffed dog in the corner of the machine, pretty isolated and easily reachable. Alex wanted to laugh at the irony since the dog was wearing a Superman costume. He nods decisively and hits the button to start, moving the crane carefully, his tongue sticking out in concentration as he goes. He's about to hit the button to pick it up but Alex can see it's not far enough over so she comes up to his side, her hand on top of his as she guides the crane over another few inches before he hits the button. He whoops triumphantly when the stuffed toy falls into the chute and Alex pulls it out. She hugs him gratefully and kisses his cheek, blushing. 

“We did it!” He laughs, his own cheeks tongued a light pink. 

“You did most of it,” Alex replies, hugging the dog to her chest. He's softer than she thought it would be. 

“I wouldn't have gotten it if you hadn't fixed it at that last second,” he insists. Alex just shrugs, still blushing. 

“I really had a great time tonight,” he says softly. And Alex can tell from the way he leans in that he's going to kiss her. She feels a tingling in her belly and she thinks it might be butterflies. It's not exactly as pleasant as everyone makes it sound. It actually makes her kind of nauseous. She leans in anyway. 

“Me too,” she sighs softly when their lips are just about to meet. She can just barely feel the pressure of his lips on hers, barely has time to register that they just feel like… lips, they don't feel like fireworks, barely has time to think  _ that's it? _ Before she can hear Kara coming over. 

“Alex! Alex! Look, Danny won me a prize too! Isn't it nice! Oh, I want to do that, too!” When Alex pulls away from Ethan, cheeks burning and frustration roiling through her, she finds Kara kissing a seemingly surprised Danny. 

“Kara!” Alex hisses. When her sister pulls away, she grins at Danny before turning to beam at Alex. 

“What?” She asks. 

“It's time to go. Mom and dad are here,” she says, grabbing Kara by the arm and tugging her out towards the parking lot. Alex climbs all the way into the back of the car wordlessly, pulling Ethan with her while Kara sits in the middle row, holding Danny's hand again. Exhausted, Alex just rests her head on Ethan's shoulder until they drop him off, bidding him a good night as he kisses her cheek, thanks her parents and hops out of the car. Once they drop off Danny, with Kara repeating the same routine Alex and Ethan had done, Alex moves up to the seat next to Kara, arms crossed with the stuffed dog pressed close to her chest. 

“So, how did it go?” Jeremiah asks tentatively, sensing Alex's frustration. 

“Oh, Jeremiah, I had so much fun! I bowled and I ate food and I took some of Danny’s food but he was so nice about it! And we held hands and he won me a prize from the arcade and I kissed him! Right, Alex, I kissed him! Oh, and Alex kissed Ethan, too! It was so fun, and I think I did everything right. I did everything that Alex did, right Alex? I did it just like you so that I wouldn’t stand out or embarrass you.” She turns to beam at Alex, bouncing a bit in her seat. Alex softens a bit but still holds her arms crossed.

“That sounds like you girls had a great time,” Mom smiled, mostly looking to Kara. Her adopted daughter smiled even wider.

“And Danny didn’t tease me when I forgot the word for bear- bears are such strange animals. I didn’t tell him that because I knew he’d think I was strange, but I think bears are strange. They’re so big! But I read a book that said you can scare them away if you make them think you’re bigger. That seems silly to me. A bear is much bigger than a human. Oh, look! Danny won me this bear; isn’t he cute?” Kara holds up the plush toy to reveal the bear also bore a superhero’s costume, but hers was a Wonder Woman bear rather than Superman. 

The longer Kara talks, the less Alex is able to hold onto her frustration. How could anyone be mad when Kara only copied her so she could fit in? All Kara wanted to do was fit in and be friends with Alex, not embarrass Alex, make Alex happy. How could Alex fault her for that? Plus, her parents’ words are ringing in her ears.  _ She needs your help, Alex _ and  _ we’re counting on you, Alex _ and  _ you need to be more mature about this, Alex, she needs this. _

So Alex softens, and when they go up to their room to bed later that night, Alex offers to braid Kara’s freshly washed hair and they sit up talking quietly for hours about the double date. And when Kara had hugged the bear to her chest and whispered about how nice it felt to be  _ included _ for once and to not be left out, well Alex had never felt more selfish, more stubborn, more childish. She resolved to stay up for a few hours, talking about their actions on the date and teaching Kara some of the subtleties of Earth courting customs.

As they fall asleep, facing each other and exhausted from hours of giggling and whispering in the dark, Alex resolves to never let Kara feel left out again.


	21. Burning Bright, Burning Out (And Other Important Lies)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Maybe you could write something about Alex's burning-out, party girl days and her trying to hide it from Kara?” ~iamdeltas
> 
> So... this got a little bit angstier than I had meant it to and it focuses more on Alex's side of the relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trigger warnings for some mentions of drug and alcohol abuse.

“I expected better, Miss Danvers,” the professor sighed as he handed back her test. Alex had run to his office hours as soon as he’d graded them only to find him staring disappointed, at the big red 57 on the top of her paper. “What happened? Are you not getting this? Did you just not study?” He implores, searching for a reason why his star student is suddenly starting to burn out, failing this exam and not focusing in class.

“I just… I got confused. I-I got distracted. It- it won’t happen again, Professor, I promise,” Alex sad insistently.

“See that it doesn’t,” he huffed. “You have a lot of promise, Alex. I don’t want to see you wasting it at parties or… boys or sports.”

“No sir,” she promises. He nods, dismissing her, and Alex runs out, careful not to show any emotion until she can get to her dorm room, finally allowing the tears to flow when she shut the door behind her. “Damn it,” she growls. “Damn it, damn it,  _ damn it!” _ she yells now, throwing her backpack down and kicking things on her floor.

_ I expected better, Alexandra _ . But it’s not her professor’s voice in her head, it’s her mother’s.  _ You’re smarter than this, dear. You’re in one of the finest schools in the country. You graduated with a dual bachelor of science in biology and biomedical engineering at the top of your class. Now you can’t handle your first year of med school? Come now, dear, I expect more from you. You’re not setting a very good example for Kara. _

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” Alex muttered. What a way to end her Thursday. “I should just…” She’s interrupted from her annoyed grumbling and wallowing by her phone ringing with Kara’s special ringtone. “Fucking fuckity  _ fuck _ , why right now?” she whined. But of course, she cleared her throat, pasted on a fake smile and picked up.

“Hey Kar.”

“ _ Hey, Alex! Guess what!” _ Kara shouts into her ear. Alex pulls the phone away slightly before responding.

“Ummm, you’ve decided to go on  _ American Idol? _ ” Alex asks.

“ _ No! _ ” Kara laughs.

“You… went to Vegas, got stupid drunk and woke up married to an Elvis impersonator?”

“ _ Alex, be serious! _ ” Kara says, but she’s still giggling.

“Oh, I don’t know, Kar. You tell me,” Alex sighed, far too tired and worn out for this guessing game.

“ _ Oh, don’t be such a poop, Alex.” _ Alex could hear the pout in her sister’s voice. She rolled her eyes.  _ “Well, you know how I’ve made dean’s list every year?” _

“Uh-huh,” Alex says, smiling proudly. Because yeah, she’d done that, too but Kara was  _ way _ smarter than she was. She would always be proud of her baby sister. 

“ _ And I’m in that honors society thing for journalism majors, right? And I got elected vice president this year! So, um, I was at a meeting with them when the dean of the whole school came to find me! Isn’t that cool, Alex? And when she found me, she wanted to tell me that I had the highest GPA of the whole school! I’m the valedictorian, Alex! Isn’t that awesome! It’s not like high school, so I don’t get to make a speech, but she wants me to write the speech for the class president and I get to wear a special set of ropes on my graduation robes. Plus, I get recognized as the valedictorian during the ceremony!” _ Kara started laughing and if Alex knew her sister (let’s not pretend, she definitely knows her sister), she was jumping around with excitement, unable to stand still.

“That’s awesome, Kara! I’m so proud of you,” Alex praised. They went on to talk about it for a little while. Alex avoids talking about her own studies, instead letting Kara lead the conversation as she talks about the end of college and what she was planning to do after. Alex eventually manages to end the conversation and hang up, citing her need to study. If Alex wanted to try and be good enough, to set a good example for Kara (who seemed to be doing just fine without her), then she would have to work harder.

 

The second year of med school was even harder than the first. Alex was alternating, spending four days in a row awake and holed up in the library, studying or doing homework or going to classes or observing in the field. Then, she’d sleep for a full twenty-four hours on Fridays (thank God she didn’t have any classes on Fridays) and then spending her weekend partying to relieve the stress. Alex ended up looking forward to those weekends more than she cared to admit.

But then it got harder. She’d start mixing her Adderall on Monday nights ( _ just to stay up, just get through a few more textbooks, you can do it, work harder _ ) with a few shots of tequila ( _ just to loosen up, God let go, Danvers, get that stick out of your ass and live a little _ ) and then skipping her 2-3AM power naps to work on her homework so that she could have time to call home the next afternoon ( _ sleep when you’re dead _ ,  _ sleep is for the weak, Alex, you should call more often, dear _ ). Alex had bags under her eyes and she was getting more and more mediocre grades back on assignments. Soon, Alex started going out on Wednesday nights because Saturdays were just too far away. 

And then, one Wednesday night, she went out to the club to get drunk and dance away her stress. She had a final the next day and just needed a few hours’ reprieve before heading back to study. But she got sloppy drunk and by the time she got home, she didn’t have enough time to finish studying. So she made a mistake and got caught cheating off of her neighbor the next day. Her professor failed her and she would have to repeat the course next semester, setting her back. All she could hear in her ears was the rushing of blood, the roaring sound of her failure, the disapproval of her mother, the disappointment of her father’s ghost, the pity of her sister.

“I need to go out and get  _ drunk _ ,” Alex slurred, grabbing her best friend Emily’s hand. Emily hadn’t been in the classroom when Alex got caught, didn’t hear the professor accuse her, didn’t hear Alex’s stumbled, hasty excuses. She wasn’t there, but this was a competitive program full of gossips, and so Emily knew every detail and had gone to Alex’s room to find her drinking tequila straight from the bottle, clearly mourning the loss of an entire semester’s worth of work.

“Al, I think you’re already there,” Emily warned her. Emily had had a few shots, but as soon as she realized how bad Alex was, she switched to water, knowing that she ought to keep an eye out for her friend.

“Noooo, I gotta go and g-get good and  _ sloshed _ an-and I wanna dance! Right? I w-worked ha-hard! I should get a- I deserve a little  _ b-break _ , right?” Alex insisted. Emily just sighed. She knew how stubborn Alex was, knew what would happen if she tried to convince her not to do something. So, Emily helped Alex get ready, got herself ready, and followed Alex to the club to keep an eye on her. 

But Alex didn’t  _ need _ a babysitter so she slid away from Emily, getting lost in the sea of bodies on the dance floor, moving and swaying and rolling her hips to the beat. She let herself get lost in the music before finally making her way out of the club, fumbling with her keys. Even in her inebriated state, she knew enough not to drive home. All she wanted to do was move her car from this parking spot and into a lot down the street so that she could sleep in her car overnight. The officers who arrested her didn’t believe her and left Alex sitting in the cell until the next morning when hungover and exhausted and  _ mortified _ , she gets a visitor who changed her life.

 

Alex hated having to lie to Kara.

She had been lying since she started med school. First, it was little white lies. “How are you, Alex?”  _ Oh, I’m fine _ . “How are classes going?”  _ Challenging, but they’re really rewarding. I’ve got a handle on it. _

But then, the lies got bigger. “What have you been doing, Alex?”  _ Oh, a quiet night in, I think. No big plans. _ “You look tired When’s the last time you slept? Are you eating?”  _ Yeah, I ate a few hours ago. I’m sleeping just fine. _ “How’d you do on that last test?”  _ It was hard, but I did well _ , she’d lie while staring at her 72. It was passing, it was fine. She could pull her grades up if she just studied a little longer, stayed up a little longer, worked a little harder.

And then she got kicked out of school, got arrested and started working for the federal government and the lies never seemed to stop. “Why did you quit school, Alexandra? I thought you were doing so well.”  _ I just realized it wasn’t what I wanted to do.  _ “Well, what are you doing now?”  _ I’m working as a biomedical engineer with a privately run company that is contracted by the government _ . “Why can’t you ever come see us, Alex? Why can’t you make time for Kara, she’s in the same city as you now, dear.”  _ My work keeps me busy. I don’t have time to get all the way back to Midvale. But I’ll make sure to make plans with Kara soon, Mom _ . _ After I get home from this conference in Geneva. _

Finally, the lies got too big to maintain. Her plane started going down and Kara saved her. Seeing her baby sister grabbing the plane wing and holding it up was both one of the best and worst moments of her life. It was the best because at least this wasn’t the  _ last _ moment of her life. But worst because now the DEO had taken Kara in and she had to reveal all of her lies and the look in Kara’s eyes when she saw who it was that took her had the power to break Alex. When Kara stormed off, it took everything in Alex not to burst into tears.

But at least the lies had stopped.


	22. Pox

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So in 2x19 there may have been a throwaway line that mentioned Alex having the chickenpox in high school... So I wrote a fic of it.

It started on Potsticker Night.

Kara had originally had difficulty adapting to Earth foods. She didn’t like the textures and the flavors were completely different from what she was used to on Krypton. So, the Danvers started taking her to all-you-can-eat restaurants that served a wide variety. That way, Kara could try new things and eat her fill without breaking the Danvers’ family budget. On one of these excursions, Kara discovered she loved potstickers, so much so that she begged her adoptive family to eat them more often. Eliza and Jeremiah agreed to dedicate every Thursday to Chinese food so that Kara could always get her potstickers.

But on this particularly potsticker night, Alex was just pushing her food around the plate. She normally ate quickly, trying to prevent Kara batting her eyes and smiling at her, asking nicely, “are you going to finish that?” Alex was almost always powerless to say no, so she scarfed her food down to keep her food from being stolen by her sister. But now, she wasn’t even trying.

“Alex, are you alright?” her mother asks, reaching out a hand to her daughter. Alex just shrugs.

“I’m not very hungry. And my head kinda hurts. Can I go lay down?” she asks, clearing her throat.

“Do you think you’re getting sick?” her dad asks, reaching out to feel her forehead. “You’re a little warm, kiddo.”

“I think I’m just run down. I had a big chemistry test and I’ve been staying up late to study for it. I should be fine if I just go take a little nap.  _ Please _ , can I be excused?” Her eyes are drooping and she clears her throat again as if it’s bothering her.

“Yes, yes, of course. I’ll bring you some water, later, dear,” Eliza said. Alex just nodded, running up the stairs to her room. Kara turned with wide eyes to Eliza and Jeremiah.

“Is Alex going to die?” she whispers.

“No!” Jeremiah laughs.

“Honey, not everything is a sign of Alex dying- or any of us dying! Humans get sick, sweetie,” Eliza smiles, squeezing Kara’s hand reassuringly. “We don’t like it, but humans get sick sometimes. Or we get worn down and tired, and we just need to rest! Did you guys never get sick on your planet?”

“Only the Sonotranian fever. And that was  _ deadly _ . Other than that, we’d weeded out all types of disease,” Kara sighed. She remembered watching the afflicted being brought from their homes, pale and weak, sickly. The members of the Warrior’s Guild would bring them to the altar of Rao to make their peace before bringing them to the Science Guild. The scientists would do everything they could, but no one ever survived. Kara remembered the grief of her neighbors and her friends. Of her own mother, who had lost her mother to the fever before Kara was born.

“Oh, sweetheart, it’s not like that here. Sometimes, we just get a little sick. But the immune system in our bodies fights off the sickness and we get better. Or we go to the doctor’s and they make us better by working with our immune system. Alex will probably get better after a good night’s rest. If she’s not better by Saturday, we can take her to a doctor, okay?” Eliza explains. Kara nods before going back to her food.

“Do you think I could eat Alex’s leftovers?” she asks innocently. Eliza just laughs and Jeremiah nods, pushing the plate towards her. Meanwhile, upstairs Alex had already fallen asleep.

 

But the next day, Alex wasn’t any better. Her temperature was still high and she was exhausted, despite having slept well the night before. She said her head was pounding and she was nauseous, refusing to eat even the crackers and juice her parents brought up. They decided to keep her home from school, figuring it was just a small virus that needed to run its course. Kara ate lunch alone that day, trying not to compare Alex’s sickly pallor with that of her neighbor from Krypton when he had been brought out of his home, dying from the fever.

 

On Saturday, the sores appeared; Kara had been the first to notice.

“Rao, Alex! What’s that?!” she yelped in fear. She had only turned her head because Alex was scratching and the noise was oddly soothing. Alex didn’t even look at her, far too used to Kara panicking and asking about the most minute things.

“What’s what, Kara?” she asks tiredly, just looking at the TV, still scratching at her arm; God, why was she so itchy? She must have gotten a bug bite.

“The- the- argh!” Kara groaned in frustration, not knowing the word. “Arm! Your arm!” She insists. Alex rolls her eyes, sitting up with a groan on the couch before glancing down at her arm. Immediately, her eyes bulged out of her head, noticing the red bumps on her arm. One has opened and is bleeding lightly from her fervent scratching.

“Mom! Dad!” Alex calls out. Her father responds first, running in from his office.

“What’s up kid- hey! Whoa, look at those bumps,” he says, startled. “Well, those look like chicken pox! Hey, Eliza!” Alex stands when her mom comes in, still itching and turning around in circles, trying to check for more bumps. “Looks like Alex has chickenpox,” her dad says. 

“Oh, sweetie, stop itching. It’ll scab and leave a scar if you itch too much,” Eliza says, rushing over to gently grab Alex’s wrist to stop her scratching. “Jeremiah, can you call the pediatrician? I think we should try and get her in today, if possible.”

“It’s a weekend, honey, are they even open?”

“It’s Saturday. They’re open on Saturdays, but only until five. Can you please call? Alex, love, let’s put some lotion on it. That should help with the itching, hmmm? And we can probably trim your nails, too,” Eliza muses as Jeremiah goes off to call the pediatrician’s office.

“Kara?” Alex asks, turning around to find the window open, gauzy white curtains fluttering in the breeze. Kara was gone. “Mom, Kara left!” she exclaims.

“Oh, baby, Dad can go find her while I get you to the doctor, I promise,” she said.

“No, Mom, you need to go find her right now! She probably thinks I’m dying, or something! Mom, she was so scared when she saw the rash. Please?” Alex begs. She curls her hands into fists to stop herself from scratching.

“You’ll be okay with dad going to the doctor with you?” Alex nods. “Okay. Okay, I will go find her.  _ You _ listen to the doctor and don’t scratch!” Eliza says, kissing her daughter’s forehead, noting how warm she is before slipping on shoes and running out to find Kara.

 

She finds Kara on the beach, her knees were drawn to her chest and she was crying silently. Both of her hands are by her sides, burying themselves in the sand repeatedly. Eliza knows from talking with Kara that the sensation of the sand particles on her skin can either soothe her or drive her insane, depending on her mood. Eliza figures that this situation is the former.

“Kara?” she says softly when she’s twenty feet away. From experience, they’ve learned not to startle Kara unless they wanted her to accidentally blast whatever was in front of her with her heat vision.

“Is she d-dead?” Kara calls back. Eliza approaches carefully, kicking off her shoes on the sand. “I… I saw the… the…” Kara just mumbles angrily in Kryptonese. “Broken… skin… Open… I don’t  _ know _ the word, but I saw them! Little angry red marks! And they bled!” Kara cries, letting Eliza come up and put a hand on her shoulder. Kara leans into the touch.

“She’s not dead. Not even close. She’s not even dying, sweetheart. She just has the chickenpox. Those red marks you saw? It’s just a rash. It bled because Alex scratched too hard. She’s going to the doctor right now so that they can make her better. She just needs some medicine, a few nice oatmeal baths, and some calamine lotion to help with the itching,” Eliza assures her.

“She is not dead?” Kara asks, her voice shaking as she turns to look at Eliza.

“Listen for her heartbeat,” Eliza suggests. “I’m sure you can hear it.” Kara hesitates. Normally, Eliza discouraged the use of her powers. But for something as small as listening for a heartbeat when Kara was already this upset, Eliza could make an exception. Kara bites her lip, focusing her hearing to differentiate. She hears the waves lapping against the sand, the seagulls cawing above, the cars ambling down the street, and finally, two heartbeats in the driveway. It only takes her a moment to differentiate between Jeremiah and Alex.  _ Alex _ . She has a heartbeat. She’s alive! It’s getting softer, getting farther away as the sound of the car joins the mix but Kara heard her heartbeat!

“Alex!” she cries happily.

“Yes,” Eliza smiles fondly. “I promise you, Alex will be alright in a few days. Now, why don’t you come up to the house with me and we can find some things to make Alex more comfortable over the next week or so?” She holds out a hand for Kara, helping each other stand (okay, so it’s more of Kara helping Eliza stand that anything else) before heading back into the house.

 

“Mom, it itches,” Alex whined. She’d gotten back an hour ago and Jeremiah had just returned with her prescription and other supplies. Her mother was now holding her hands, cutting her nails nearly down to the bit.

“You can’t scratch at it, Alex. Jeremiah, honey, can you run a cool oatmeal bath?” Eliza says patiently.

“I don’t want to take a bath. I’m not a  _ child _ ,” Alex groaned.

“Eliza says it will make you feel better, Alex,” Kara grinned.She holds out another glass of orange juice- the third one she’s given Alex since she got back. “And you should drink more juice!”

“Kara, my bladder is going to burst if you keep giving me juice,” Alex deadpans, but at Kara’s pout, she takes the cup and sips at it anyway.

“Take the bath, honey. Pat yourself dry then I’ll help you put on some lotion so that you won’t itch as much,” Eliza says sternly, but she punctuates the order with a kiss to Alex’s temple, ushering her oldest daughter up the stairs. Alex just grumbles and Kara follows behind toting Alex’s forgotten juice.

 

Monday rolls around and Alex is miserable. Her father had to leave for yet another business trip and her mother  _ had _ to go into work. Kara offered to stay home but was denied, so Alex was left alone. Before Kara ran off to the bus, she made sure that Alex had everything she could need: multiple bottles of juice, lotion, oatmeal ready if she decided to take a bath, and stacks and stacks of movies to watch.

“And if you need me, you can just yell! And I’ll hear it! Or- or you could call the school and I could come home! I’m sure they’d let me. And you need to make sure to drink lots of juice and eat the soup! I looked on Eliza’s computer and it said that juice and chicken soup make people feel better. I’m not sure why, but it will, I’m sure of it! And then, when I get home, I can take care of you! And Eliza said she will be late tonight, so maybe we can get pizza for dinner!”

“Kara,” Alex tries to interrupt. But Kara just keeps rambling excitedly. “Kara. Kara. Kara!” Finally, Kara stops talking and smiles at Alex.

“Yes?” she asks, swaying a little in her spot.

“You’re going to be late for the bus. I am a big girl. I will be fine here. Go catch the bus,” Alex tells her firmly. “And if anyone gives you any crap, remind them that I will be back soon to kick their asses, understand?” Kara nodded, kissing Alex’s forehead like she’d seen Eliza and Jeremiah do when they left. Alex watched her leave, running only slightly faster than a normal person to catch the bus. As she settled back into the couch and turned on the TV, Alex wondered how Kara would fare in school without having Alex there to protect her, particularly at lunch when Kara was most vulnerable; she was always more focused on her food than on anyone else trying to tease her. But there was nothing Alex could do, so she just sat back and focused on the crappy daytime television, trying not to scratch.

 

“Alex, you have to stop scratching!” Kara yelled startling Alex who dropped the ruler she had been using to scratch her leg. Alex looked up, eyes wide to stare at Kara who was standing in the doorway of their shared bedroom, holding two pizza boxes and a styrofoam container.

“Kara, what are you doing here? It’s Wednesday; you should be in school right now. You’re missing lunch time, aren’t you?” Alex asks, glancing at the clock. 

“I told them I was sick. They didn’t believe me at first because I didn’t have a fever, but I told them I threw up like you did a few days ago! Then they called Eliza and sent me home because they worried I was getting sick like you. But I am not sick! So I walked home, and I stopped to get some potstickers, but I ate them on the way. So I went back and got pizzas instead!” Kara revealed, bouncing on her toes.

“You  _ lied _ , Kara Zor-El?” Alex teased. Kara nods.

“All I had left was science, and I do not need to sit in that class. Plus, when the nurse called, I spoke to Eliza!” Kara dropped the pizza boxes on her bed, opening the styrofoam container to reveal french fries topped with cheese and bacon. Kara happily started munching on them before turning to smile at Alex, offering her a slice of pizza. Alex took it, raising a suspicious eyebrow before smirking.

“Kara, you skipped school! You skipped school and… brought me a pizza? Not that I’m not  _ grateful _ ,” Alex said through a mouthful of food. She swallowed. “But why?”

“I have missed you, Alex. I wanted to make sure you were okay. Plus, the only person who talks to me is Rick, but he can only eat lunch with me on Tuesday and Thursday. The other days, he has class when I have lunch. So I ate alone. And I was bored! But then Jackson and his friends started to tease me about how much I eat, so I left. And I went to the nurse, and I came back here!” Kara recounted, frowning for a moment before smiling at Alex.

“I’ll kick his ass,” Alex snarls, wrenching herself out of bed. Kara grabs her before she can get far, pushing her back towards the bed.

“Alex, you are sick!” Kara protests.

“Great. Maybe I’ll infect him,” she huffs, straining against Kara’s arms.

“You are sick! You are too weak to leave. Your heart rate has been elevated for days and it is even higher now. You cannot leave this bed. Jackson will still be there on Monday when you are better,” Kara insists. “I am fine. I am here with you! And pizza, and these delicious cheesy potatoes!” Alex rolls her eyes but starts to eat a little bit more. She hasn’t been very hungry these past few days, but damn it if she won’t eat when her little sister skipped school just to bring her food.

 

“How’s school?” Alex asks, trying to distract herself; she’s exhausted all the time, but her mind is restless. She’s running out of assignments from her teachers and movies to watch and she’s sick of being alone during the day. Kara shrugs, shoveling fries into her mouth. “Well, did you have any quizzes? Any hard homework you need help with?”

“I am writing an essay for my English class, but I still do not understand the grammar. Could you please read it for me?”

“Yeah, sure,” Alex says softly. “Bring me your latest draft and I can mark it up.”

“Thank you,” Kara beams, fumbling through her backpack before producing a notebook, handing it off to Alex. She goes back to the remnants of their lunch, finishing it off.

“Kara?” Alex whispers after a moment.

“Hmmm?”

“Could you maybe… get me some juice?” Kara just beams, nodding and running down the stairs to get the drink, certain this would help Alex feel better.

 

By the next Monday, Alex’s rash was gone, her fever was down, and she was ready to go back to school. She thanked Rick for trying to help Kara, blushing the entire time, and threatened to break Jackson’s nose and put a boot in his ass if he ever tries to tease Kara again. She gets back on top of her schoolwork and everything goes back to normal.

But if Kara keeps a stockpile of juice around for any time her sister gets so much as a runny nose, well, no one says anything about it.


	23. Clark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “you could do a chapter with Clark coming to visit or like Clark accidentally being mean or something like not visiting when he was supposed to or something and like Alex helping Kara through that? Idk I want to know Alex's thoughts on Superman....” ~PotterNinja

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So basically I was watching Smallville and realizing how Clark is kind of an asshole?? And v entitled?? And then I came across this quote from season 5 Lex Luthor (before he is evil, just not best friends with Clark anymore) and he says “Clark’s specialty is barging into where he doesn’t belong and then making you feel as if you’re the one who should be apologizing.” and I just really wanted to work that concept in and merge it with the Supergirl canon. Enjoy!

“I just don’t see why I have to dress up just because  _ he’s _ coming,” Alex grumbled.

“Alexandra, when we have guests, we look nice,” her mother sighed. 

“But it’s just pizza and cake and stuff. Plus, you keep saying he’s family because he’s Kara’s cousin. So, like, we should treat family like family, not a guest.”

“Alex, please, why can’t you just wear a nice skirt?” Eliza Danvers opened her daughter’s closet and picked out a nice ruffled black skirt and laid a plain purple top over it. She turned to Alex. “Why not this?”

“I hate that skirt. It’s itchy,” Alex pouted. “And I’m 16. I’m capable of picking out my own outfits.” Eliza’s next words (likely going to be a loud command, based on the set of her jaw) are interrupted by Kara rushing into the room.

“Alex! Alex! Kal-El is coming! He is coming and he is going to eat the pizza and the cake with us so that we may celebrate my fake birthday!” Kara yelled, giggling and jumping so much that Alex questioned if she was actually floating. Last year, they had tried celebrating on the anniversary of Kara’s arrival on Earth, but the girl had burst into tears, only remembering the destruction of her planet. But after another year on Earth, they had begun to celebrate her birthday as a week  _ after _ she arrived. It gave her time to grieve and remember Krypton but also allowed them to celebrate her arrival. Suddenly, Kara noticed the outfit on the bed. “Oh Alex, I do not like that skirt. It has the fabric which rustles around and bothers my ears. You were going to wear it?” She looks so sad and so nervous- her sensory overloads were less common now, but only because they’d learned her triggers and avoided them.

“No, I wasn’t going to wear it, right Mom?” Alex said triumphantly. Eliza rolled her eyes and threw up her hands in surrender, leaving the room.

 

They’d waited an hour before Kara’s hunger was too strong.

“He’s probably just dealing with an emergency. I’ll call Lois,” Eliza said, patting Kara’s back gently. Alex and Kara munched on the pizzas quietly at the kitchen counter while they listened to Eliza’s side of the phone conversation in the next room.

“Lois! Yes, we were just wondering… Oh, oh no! Is Jonathan okay? Oh, well I’m glad to hear that. So will he… oh, next week? No, no, we understand. Yes. Yes, of course. See you then. Goodbye, Lois,” Eliza said. She came into the next room with a somber expression. “Clark’s father is in the hospital. Some kind of accident on the farm. He’s just got a broken leg! But Clark can’t come until next week. He said his family needed him. I’m so sorry, Kara. Why don’t we… Why don’t we just celebrate now, and then again next week? I’ll go get the cake,” Eliza said brightly, trying to raise Kara’s spirits. The girl was frowning miserably, her chin wobbling slightly. As soon as Eliza was busy in the other room, preparing the sheet cake and ice cream, Alex scooted her stool closer to Kara’s, nudging her shoulder. Kara spoke softly, staring at her pizza as she spoke.

“But I am his family, too. I know he loves his Earth family, but I am his blood family. Do I not need him, too?” Kara asked. Alex didn’t really know how to respond; of course she was Clark’s family. And Clark certainly needed to remember that. Ever since he dropped her on their doorstep, he had been making excuses to stay away. Alex didn’t really like the way he treated Kara like a puppy he’d gotten for Christmas that he didn’t really want to take care of now that it needed time and care and attention. She didn’t know what to say to make  _ that _ better, so she tried for distraction.

“Look at it this way: at least now, you get two cakes!” Alex said gently. Kara gave a small, tentative smile.

“Really?” she asked, her voice squeaking slightly.

“Really,” Alex confirmed. 

Kara beamed. “I like cake!”

 

“Kal-El!” Kara yelped, running up to him to hug him. He had  _ finally _ gotten his sorry ass down to Midvale, insisting on driving the entire way to keep his secret safe (not to mention it stretched out the travel by ten whole days, putting back Kara’s make-up birthday celebration and giving him time to spend with his new wife Lois, as well.

“It’s  _ Clark _ ,” he said sternly, hugging her. Alex watched as Kara squeezed him as tight as she pleased; Alex hated that  _ he _ was the only one she could touch without worrying about her strength.  _ He _ wasn’t the one who had held her those first three months when she woke up screaming, remembering Krypton’s destruction.  _ He  _ wasn’t the one who’d painstakingly taught her English, how to control her powers, and how to fit in with Earth culture.  _ He _ wasn’t the one who’d had to uproot their life to make room for Kara- (not that Alex had done all of that happily, nor had she done it alone). But still,  _ he _ got all the credit for finding her and saving her and  _ he _ got all of her appreciation and love. Needless to say, Alex was jealous.

Eliza goes to greet Lois, leaving Alex to lug all of their bags inside, despite the fact that two people there have super powers. By the time Alex deposits their bags in the guest room, Kara is speaking in rapid fire Kryptonian, too fast for Alex to try and translate and practice what Kara had been teaching her. Based on Clark’s knitted brows and puckered mouth, he couldn’t understand her either.

“Don’t do that, Kara. You’re supposed to be here learning to be normal. You should speak a human language, and practice” he admonished.

“Clark, she’s just happy to see you,” Lois defended. “You’re the only other one who can speak her language. Just let her talk.” A desperate, jealous part of Alex wants to point out that she can speak it, too. She isn’t fluent, but she’s learning. Alex just wants to rub it in Clark’s face, and make sure Lois knows, too. Lois was always the one to smile at Alex and pay attention to her when everyone else in the room seemed to forget she was there.

“Lois, you know why I want her to fit in,” he repeated earnestly, as if Kara wasn’t even in the room. She hung her head, cheeks red and eyes wide and watery.

“You know, she is in the room. And in case you didn’t know, her English is perfect now. I know you haven’t visited her in  _ months _ but, she’s learned a lot,” Alex said crossly.

“Alexandra, be polite,” Eliza chided.

“I will if he does,” Alex murmured softly enough that only the Kryptonians heard her. Kara gave her a confused look and Clark narrowed his eyes.

 

“She can’t do a degree in science,” Clark argued the moment he stepped in the door, letting it slam behind him.

“What the fuck?” Alex yelped.

“I was flying by Metropolis University this afternoon and I kinda… saw Kara’s application in the office. I saw she wants to do a degree in biochemical engineering. She can’t,” Clark said firmly. He stood with his arms crossed, cape billowing behind him. Alex knew that he wanted to intimidate them, make them do what he wanted. That’s why he wore his suit to confront them. She was home on winter break and just finished a feminist history course and saw the blatant misogynistic power pose for what it was: a manipulation tactic.

“She can do whatever she damn well pleases. In case you weren’t aware, Kara’s incredibly talented at science. She was going to be the youngest member of the science guild on Krypton. So don’t think you can just come in here and boss her around just because people think you’re a hero,” Alex said angrily. Kara had been  _ so excited _ to study science, just like her father, just like Jeremiah, just like Eliza, just like  _ Alex _ . And now, Clark was here to ruin it all.

“Exactly. She knows too much! She’d be too smart and people would suspect. She needs to do something else. Something where she won’t stand out as much. Maybe education or something like that,” he reasoned.

“She shouldn’t have to do something beneath her. Maybe people will believe she’s just smart. Women do have brains and they can do things just as well as men can,” Alex argued. Eliza just put a hand on her daughter’s shoulder.

“Alex, he’s right. She’d stand out in her field. It wouldn’t challenge her. I had these same worries,” she said firmly. Kara just stood gaping, mouth opening and closing, confused and alarmed and overwhelmed.

“Are we also just going to ignore the blatant misuse of his powers to spy on Kara?” Alex rebutted, getting more and more annoyed by the second.

“Alex, please, the world isn’t so black and white,” Clark said in his condescending way, almost sneering at her. Alex screamed in frustration. Why was no one on her side? She bets if Lois was here,  _ she’d _ agree with Alex.

“I could do journalism,” Kara said softly, eyes trained on the floor. She was squeezing her fists tightly, releasing them then tightening them again. Alex recognized the trick as something she’d taught her little sister to help her control her anxiety when she was overwhelmed.

“Kara, don’t do that just to impress him-” Alex started.

“That’s wonderful, honey. If it’s something you want to do,” Eliza interrupted.

“I do!” Kara insisted quickly, looking up. But she looked right back down, and Alex recognized Kara was lying, trying to convince herself as well as everyone else. “I… I do. I can… find out the truth and help make sure people know what’s going on. It is a noble profession, right, Kal-El?”

“Clark,” he corrected. Alex glared and Kara winced. “And it is a great job. We do good work. I think you’d make a good reporter. Maybe work at the Midvale Times,” he smiled. Alex rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “I have to go now. Lois is making dinner. Good to see you guys. Glad you’re thinking straight now, Kara.” He nodded, waved at them all. He ignored Kara going in for a hug and took off, leaving a dent in the kitchen floor and cracking several tiles as he left.

 

“I hate him,” Alex grunted as she flopped onto her bed. Kara just sat quietly on her own bed. “And I’m sorry, I know he’s your cousin and all… But I don’t like him.”

“Alex, he’s the only family I have left,” Kara said softly.

“You have me,” Alex said firmly. “And my mom. We’re your family, too. We’re not blood, but… we’re family. But Clark still annoys me. It’s like… his specialty is barging into where he doesn’t belong and then making you feel as if you’re the one who should be apologizing.”

“I know… I know, Alex, but… he cares. And he’s the last part of Krypton on this planet that won’t kill me, so… I love him. Please, try to be nicer to him?” Kara begged, crawling over to Alex’s bed, hugging her sister. Alex huffs and puffs and rolls her eyes, but she can’t just not hug her little sister.

“Fine, I will try… Besides… he is pretty hot,” Alex teased. She loved watching how flustered Kara got whenever the tabloids commented on her cousin’s looks. Personally, Alex thought Clark was average looking at best, and Lois was way too pretty for him but… what does she care? She doesn’t really like Clark much, certainly doesn’t like the way he treats Kara like some… inherited pet that he never really wanted. But she’ll try to like him. At least for Kara’s sake, if no other reason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I'm running low on ideas for this series. If you have any themes from pre-canon that you'd like me to explore, feel free to comment them! Thanks for reading.


	24. Broken Bones and Broken Hearts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How about a chapter on Kara freaking out because she broke a guy's toes dancing with him? I know that she mentioned that once in an episode. Think it was the prom.” ~Marysocontrary

Kara had been on Earth for almost two years by the time she had her first date. 

This was just enough time it took for Kara to lose some of her more obvious quirks (like her thick accent, her interest in birds, her propensity for saying strange things, and her uncontrollable sensory overloads among them). His name was Bobby Evans and he was in Kara’s math class. Though she was far smarter than what was being taught, Kara let Bobby help her with her homework because Alex pointed out how cute he was and how he liked her. Homework help turned into walking home from school together (even though Bobby didn’t live near the Danvers).

It was on one of these walks that he asked her out.

“So, like… I was wondering… You and me, we’ve been hanging out… And we’ve had fun, right? We get along. And we like some of the same stuff. We’ve had fun. So, like… I was wondering… If maybe, like… would you wanna go out with me?” he stuttered, face turning red the longer he rambled.

“But we’re already outside,” Kara said, tilting her head. Then she remembered, her face lighting up. “Oh! You mean go out like on a date. This is what you mean, right?” And while other kids might have snickered or made odd faces at Kara’s misunderstanding of basic English slang, Bobby just smiled at her and nodded. 

“Yeah! Like a date. I was thinking… The football game this Friday?” Kara thought of Alex and Vicky and all of their friends getting bundled up for these games, bringing hot chocolates and giggling about the boys on the team.

“Yes. Yes, I think I would like to go on this date with you! That would be fun,” Kara decided, nodding quickly. They were coming down her street now and they walked in a comfortable silence, both of them bouncing on their toes as they walked (Kara had to frequently check to make sure she actually  _ was _ on the ground). When they got to the end of her driveway, Bobby looked at her, cheeks red.

“So, uh, see you in math tomorrow?” he asked, looking down at the ground, briefly looking up to make eye contact.

“Yes! Or maybe earlier, we don’t know,” Kara grinned. She was about to say goodbye when he leaned in and pressed his lips to her cheek.

“Um, bye,” he said quickly, smiling at her before turning and running down the road. Kara furrowed her brow and went inside.

 

“Crinkle,” Alex said by way of greeting when she came home not long after from her science Olympiads club, poking Kara’s face. Though she was only one year older than Kara (not counting Kara’s years in the Phantom Zone), Alex was in the eleventh grade, two years ahead of Kara in school. “What’s bothering you?” Alex asked as she sat across the table from Kara, grabbing a snack from the cupboard.

“Bobby walked me home from school today, just like he always does. But today, he asked me on a date this Friday at the football game. And I said yes!” Kara explained, working on her English spelling exercises; though she had grasped the grammar and most vocabulary, her spelling was still atrocious and her teachers required that she work and practice it daily.

“So, what’s the problem?” Alex asked skeptically.

“Well, then he kissed me on the cheek,” Kara said, softer now. “The other girls at school talk about how exciting their first kiss is. And how they were so excited. But that was not exciting. I was not prepared! How terrible that is for a first kiss,” she pouted. Alex just laughed at her. “Alex, don’t laugh,” she whined.

“Kar, that’s not your first kiss,” Alex chuckled, shaking her head. She went to the fridge to pour herself a glass of water. When she returned to the table, she saw Kara munching on her chips with a distressed look on her face. “Hey! Those were mine!”

“Alex, I’m  _ distressed _ . You need to help me!” Kara whined mouth full. Alex whacked Kara with her notebook, glaring at her.

“I was going to help you, but you  _ ate my snack _ .”

“I can find you something else! Please, just help me! Explain!” Kara begged, getting up to go search through the cupboards, though she knows there isn’t much left.

“Find what else? You ate everything, and Mom hasn’t gone to the store in a few days,” Alex grumbled. But she took Kara’s offering of plain crackers instead and settled back into her seat at the table. “That wasn’t your first kiss. It only counts as a real kiss if he kisses you on the lips! And most guys don’t do that until the end of your first date. Or sometimes your second date, I guess,” she shrugged.

“Oh,” Kara said softly. “So… I have more time to learn how to kiss!” Alex blushed deep red and rolled her eyes.

“It’s not really something you learn without practice. Just… wait until Bobby kisses you. No one expects your first to be perfect.” Alex cleared her throat and gathered her things. “I’m going upstairs to do homework. And, uh, congratulations on your date. Bobby is a nice guy.”

 

Kara didn’t quite enjoy the football game. It was loud and there were strange smells and she still didn’t quite understand this game, but Bobby seemed to enjoy it. And when he realized the noise was bothering Kara, he took her to the concession stands to get a hot chocolate and some snacks and they went for a walk around the edge of the field, getting as far away from the noise as they could while still being able to say they were watching the game.

When they walked home, they cut through the park and he gave Kara his coat, though the cold would affect him far more than it would affect her. They talked about their favorite shows and the movies they’d seen recently and sometimes while they walked, their fingers would brush together. While they walked by the duck pond, he stopped to point to the baby duck family and then he held Kara’s hand, intertwining their fingers. His hand felt cool in hers, just like all humans do. But it also filled her with an incredible warmth to know that he liked her, that he wanted to hang out with her, that he didn’t think she was a freak.

They walked all the way to the Danvers house still holding hands and he brought her right up to her front door. He stood on the porch for a moment, rocking back on his heels, still blushing. He fiddled with his hands for a moment before speaking.

“I had a really nice time tonight,” he said with a shy smile. Kara could hear his heart beating quickly. She could also hear Alex and Eliza spying from the living room windows, trying to be sneaky.

“So did I,” she replied, giving back her own smile.

“We could, uh… Do something like this again, maybe?” he asked hopefully.

“Yeah!” she said, biting her bottom lip. Without realizing, they had both stepped closer to each other. His gaze dropped to her lips and Kara felt her heart jump.  _ This is it _ , she thought. He leaned in and she moved to meet him halfway, but clumsily bumped his nose.

“Ah! Shit!” he yelled, pulling back and clutching his nose. Kara jumped back, the sharp scent of blood hitting her nostrils and she realized there was blood dripping from his nose.  _ Oh god, I broke his nose _ , she realized. They had bumped noses when they kissed but Kara’s Kryptonian bones were so hard and strong that she literally  _ broke his nose _ . 

“Eliza!” she yelped. Within a minute, Alex and Eliza opened the door.

“Oh, no, Bobby! Come here, dear. Let me take a look at that inside. Alex, could you call his parents?” she said quickly. “Oh, you poor thing. It looks like Kara sneezed and her forehead hit your nose,” Eliza said with a pointed look at Kara, who looked sheepish. Eliza pulled on a pair of gloves.

“Uh, I guess,” he said, wincing when Eliza gently poked the most swollen part of his nose. “Fuck!” His face turned redder. “Uh, sorry Dr. Dan-bers,” he said, voice thick and clogged.

“It’s okay, dear. I understand. It does look like your nose is at least sprained. Alex, did you get through to Bobby’s family?” she called.

“Yeah, mom, I’ve got his mom on the phone. She’s on her way. Wanna talk to her?” she called. Kara sat with Bobby while they waited for his parents to come, blushing and stumbling over her apologies before Alex silenced her with a look. They sat quietly together until Bobby left with his parents.

“I broke his  _ nose _ ,” Kara moaned, leaning back onto the chair. “I tried to kiss him and I  _ broke _ his  _ nose _ .”

“It’s almost funny?” Alex said in a poor attempt to console her.

“It’s really not,” Kara said, deadpan.

“Give it a few months.” Alex paused, feeling Kara’s glare and Eliza’s stern look. “Or maybe a few years, jeez.”

 

Kara broke off their next date, not quite giving him a reason. Bobby told Kara that he wasn’t mad about his broken nose, but Kara’s mind was made up. He moped for a few weeks and avoided her in school. Kara hated having to adjust her schedule and struggled to fill the void that he had left, but Kara understood. After all, she had been the one to break it off with him.

 

Over the next two years, Kara had caught the attention of some other boys. But it was always a passing fancy. They would talk to her, realize how shy and standoffish she was. They would persist and ask her out. Sometimes, she even went out with them, but she never kissed them goodnight. If they asked for a second date, she would politely decline. 

Kara became known as a heartbreaker, as a blue-baller, as a tease. But she didn’t care because humans were fragile and if a kiss could break their nose? Imagine what could happen if she got close enough to get intimate, close enough to love? She could break their hearts as well as their bones (both literally and figuratively).

 

When prom season came around, Kara let herself be cajoled into coming. By this point in her life, she had acquired a few steadfast friends in addition to her and Alex becoming much closer, though the latter was in her second year of college. This did not stop Alex from being involved in the prom process.

“Alex, you didn’t even like shopping for your own prom dress. Why do you want to be a part of shopping for mine?” Kara groaned into the cell-phone. It was March and Kara’s friends had finally convinced her that going without a date didn’t make her lame. Alex wanted Kara to wait until next weekend to start dress shopping since Alex would come back for spring break that weekend.

_ “Because I want to make sure that you look good. And just because I hate everyone staring at  _ me _ while I try on itchy, annoying dresses I don’t like doesn’t mean I’m opposed to the whole process.” _ Kara could tell from Alex’s voice that she was calling from the school dining hall, likely studying while eating and having her regular evening chat with Kara.

“Fine. But only if you promise to take me to that buffet place in the city. And no sleeveless dresses!” Kara added.

 

Kara walked into prom with a group of friends, most of them single, wearing a sleeveless dress.

It was a royal blue color that matched her eyes nicely and had one strap on her left shoulder, the other bare. The bodice fell a few inches below her collarbone and was tight and decorated with jewels; Kara liked the way they caught and reflected the light. The bottom of her dress flared out a bit, giving her room to move and dance. Her sparkly silver heels pinched her shoes and made her taller than half of the boys in the room, but they made Kara feel pretty. With her hair up, her makeup done and a new pair of glasses, Kara felt confident and it showed.

The night was going well and Kara was dancing with her friends for most of it. And then they played the first slow song. At first, Kara goofed around with her girl friends, but they eventually went back to their table to take a break from dancing, even once the pace of the music increased again. Kara was alone on the dance floor without her friends, dancing and having a good time when a few songs later, Devin Knight joined her. He danced alongside her, laughing and being silly with her.

“Wanna dance?” he asked when the song slowed down. And sure, what could a dance hurt? So Kara nodded and took his hands, leaning up against him as they danced, spinning in lazy circles. Kara remembered dancing on Krypton with its vivid music, fast movements, and intricate steps. She was in the middle of wishing that she could still dance like that when Devin made a sound.

“Ah! Fuck, my toe,” he grunted.

“Oh God! I’m so sorry! I stepped on you!” Kara said worriedly.

“It’s fine,” he said with a pained expression on his face. They continued dancing, but he moved even less now.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Kara asked, following him off the dance floor when the song ended. He walked with a slight limp but refused to make a noise or complain.

“I’m fine. Just a little tired. And I think my buzz might be wearing off,” he admitted offhandedly.

“Buzz?” Kara murmured. The meaning became clear when she saw him pull a little metal container from his pocket; it reeked of cheap alcohol. She remembered Alex coming home drunk from her own prom and slurring that she was “ _ just a little buzzed” _ and begging Kara not to tell Eliza. “Oh, right. Uhm, okay. If you’re sure you’re okay. Sorry I stepped on you.”

“‘S okay,” he grunted, settling back in his chair, leaning over to talk to some of his friends. Kara went back to her table and danced until the end of the night, careful to keep clear of other people (as difficult as that was on a crowded dance floor). By the time she got home, she had already forgotten about stepping on his toe.

 

Devin showed up to graduation rehearsal with a cast on his foot and three broken metatarsals.

“I  _ broke _ his  _ foot _ , Alex,” Kara moaned from her spot underneath the covers. She had quickly driven home from her rehearsal to talk to Alex about it.

“You don’t know that. The metatarsals are a popular spot for stress fractures. Maybe you just hit an already weak spot,” Alex suggested. But Kara could hear her stifling a laugh.

“ _ Aleeeexxxx,” _ Kara whined, kicking her feet, head still buried under the covers.

“I’m serious!” Alex said, making an effort to stop laughing. “We learned about it in one of my anatomy courses. He plays sports, right?”

“Yeah,” Kara said miserably, allowing Alex to pull the covers down and smooth her hair.

“Then you probably just aggravated a pre-existing injury. And besides, it was an accident! It’s alright, Kara. Now, are you going to come out and have lunch with me?” Kara sat up, following Alex downstairs. She waited until they had made idle chit chat and made enough lunch for six people (or one human and on Kryptonian) to bring up the subject again.

“What if… this doesn’t stop?” Kara asked, voice soft as she picked at her sandwich. “The breaking people thing,” she clarified when Alex raised her eyebrows. Suddenly, Kara started talking and she just couldn’t  _ stop _ . “Like, I broke Bobby Evans’ nose and Devin’s foot. What if I go on breaking people who try to get close to me? I broke your ribs when you hugged me on the first anniversary of me coming here! What if I grow old and die alone because I can’t get close to anyone without breaking them?”

“Oh, Kara,” Alex sighed, putting her sandwich down (a risky endeavor when Kara was nearby since it could be eaten at any time) and walked over, hugging Kara as tight as she humanly could. Kara gave a weak hug in return. “You’ll figure it out. You’re still getting used to this stuff! Like, you had to learn how to hug me when you’re upset, right? You had to practice because you weren’t sure what to do with your strength. But you’ll learn! It might just take some time. And some practice… Not that I really need to know all of the details about  _ whom _ you’re practicing with since you are my little sister, but still…” Alex trailed off awkwardly, cheeks turning red.

“You really think so?” Kara asked, eyes still shining with tears when she looked up at Alex.

“I do, kid. Just… practice and be careful and try to be aware of what your body is doing and how you tense your muscles and stuff and...just practice. You don’t need to isolate yourself,” Alex insisted. Kara smiled, hugging Alex a little tighter before looking at Alex’s discarded half-sandwich.

“You gonna eat that?” Kara asked. Alex huffed but pushed the sandwich closer to Kara, glad that her fears had been assuaged, at least for now.


	25. Fireworks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Kara and fireworks" ~Twinklefae
> 
> So I adapted this a bit to make it Kara's first exposure to fireworks. It takes place a few months after she landed with the Danvers (I may have played with the timeline a bit so that it could happen around the 4th of July)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, this has some mentions of sensory overloads and some PTSD type trauma from her world exploding. It's not graphic and I hope it's not triggering, but I just wanted to be careful.

Two weeks before the American Independence Day, Eliza and Jeremiah sat Kara down one night to talk to her. She’d been with the family for a few months now and was finally starting to adjust to her new powers, and she and Alex had been making steps toward an actual friendship. They sat her down in the living room after dinner; Alex sat in the same room, but she had her head buried in a book and had headphones in her ears, clearly trying not to participate in the discussion, but her parents hadn’t allowed her to go isolate herself in her room.

“So, Kara, we wanted to talk to you about something,” Jeremiah started.

“Did I do something wrong? Am I in trouble?” Kara said worriedly, biting her lip and pulling on her bangs to hide more of her face. Eliza moved as if to put a hand on Kara’s arm to comfort her but paused, giving Kara a moment to see her and nod, giving her permission before she does, pulling Kara’s hand away from her face.

“No, no, sweetheart. You’re not in any trouble. It’s just important that we prepare you for something. In a few weeks, we have our Independence Day, on the fourth of July. It’s the day when we celebrate-”

“The reading of the Declaration of Independence written by Thomas Jefferson in which the thirteen British colonies of North America declared themselves independent of Britain and started a war that would go on for seven years,” Kara interrupted, reciting the things she’d learned in her books. Eliza and Jeremiah had wanted Kara to try and catch up on history, English, literature, math, science and pop culture and her eidetic memory had allowed her to do well with it, far surpassing their expectations of what she could do in this time.

“Good job, Kara, yes,” Eliza praised. “But, it’s not what’s being celebrated, but rather  _ how _ people celebrate it. In our country- in our world, actually, I guess- we like to celebrate big events with devices called fireworks. They’re a type of colorful explosion we set off in the sky.”

“Isn’t that dangerous?” Kara gasped.

“Only when people don’t do it correctly. But we wanted to warn you because it’s a very loud process, even for humans. I’d imagine it could be particularly difficult for someone with your hearing,” Jeremiah said.

“Oh… Could I just go to Metropolis with Kal-El for the time-being? I do not want to hear the explosions, but maybe I could still see them from Metropolis!” Kara said hopefully. She hadn’t seen Kal since he had dropped her off, though he called sometimes. Kara missed him. Eliza and Jeremiah looked at each other out of the corner of their eyes.

“Um… I’m not sure that’s a good idea. See, these fireworks are set off all over the country, and Metropolis has a big fireworks display. There’s really not a place you could go to escape them unless you left the country,” Jeremiah told her.

“Then… Kal could take me to another country! One where there are no exploding fireworks!” Kara continued. Nobody noticed Alex taking out her headphones to listen, still with the book in her face.

“No, sweetheart. He can’t leave the city unprotected for that long, and you can’t go somewhere by yourself. And we can’t go with you since Alex is competing in the annual Midvale Fourth of July surfing contest. She’s been looking forward to it all year and we don’t want to take it away,” Jeremiah said carefully, putting his hand on her shoulder. “Plus, people don’t really contain their fireworks to one day or few days. Some of them start early and don’t stop until mid-summer. We’re working on making some good noise-canceling headphones but until we do, we wanted you to be prepared for what might happen.”

“But… But… what can I do about it? I do not like loud noises, Jeremiah,” Kara said, her lower lip sticking out in an almost-pout and she clenched her fists to try and control herself. She knew her heat vision and super strength were triggered by strong emotions and the confusion and fear swirling in her stomach were enough to make her eyes burn with both tears and heat vision. She focused on clenching her fists and breathing they way the Danvers had taught her.

“I’ll go out and look for a good pair of headphones to block the noise, and when you hear fireworks, come tell us and we’ll take care of you, okay?” Eliza said in a calming voice, resisting the urge to hug Kara until she knew it was okay. When Kara released her fist, shoulders sagging as she looked up, Eliza leaned forward and took her into her arms.

“We’ll take care of you. Promise,” Jeremiah added, squeezing her shoulder reassuringly. From her perch on the armchair, Alex nodded to herself. She would take care of Kara, too.

 

Four days later, Kara heard the first of the fireworks. Eliza was at work and Jeremiah had been called away for a work trip, so it was just Alex and Kara. They had been walking back from an impromptu after-dinner walk on the beach when suddenly, a loud piercing cry filled the air. Alex started but Kara screamed and fell to her knees, hands covering her ears and eyes closed tightly.

“Kara!” Alex said, much too loud for Kara’s already overstimulated ears. Behind them, the sky was alight with colors but the crashing and booming were too much and Kara just shook her head. “Kara,” Alex tried again at a whisper. 

“The sky is screaming. I do not like it,” Kara whimpered. Alex tried to quell her own panic; Kara had to come first right now.

“Let’s get home. The headphones are on the counter. Come on, Kara. Can I hold your arm?” Alex prompted, getting a trembling Kara to her feet. Eyes still closed, she shook her head. “Okay, can you follow my voice to get back to the house, then?” Alex asked, still in a whisper. There was a lull in the fireworks and Kara relaxed a fraction, nodding. Alex looked to the back porch, only about 100 yards away. She could do this.

“Okay, let’s start moving. Nice and slow, see we’re going across the grass. It’s only a few yards away, I promise. Would it help you to count the steps?” Alex asked, knowing that counting was something Kara could focus on to help her calm down. Usually, she counted in sequences of threes when she needed to relax, but maybe this would work, too. Kara nodded and Alex smiled in relief.

“One. Two. Three. Four,” Kara said in a soft, shaky voice. Her voice was higher than usual and every time a firework went off, she stuttered in her counting. But finally, almost two hundred steps later, they were in the house and the sounds were muffled.

“Okay, great job, Kara. Stay here and I’ll go get the headphones,” Alex whispered. She hurried into the kitchen as quietly as she could and grabbed the new package from the counter. Her dad had gotten industrial strength over-the-ear headphones like what construction workers wear or sound techs at a big concert. She brought the set over to Kara. “Do you want to do it yourself?”

“Can you? I do not want to break them,” Kara said softly, finally opening her eyes revealing them to be full of tears. Alex nodded, careful not to touch her head as she adjusted the size of the headphones. Kara only removed her hands when Alex was ready and she carefully placed them on Kara.

“Better?” Alex asked. Kara beamed, sniffling a little as she nodded.

“I can barely hear it!” Kara yelled to her.

“You’re talking a little loud,” Alex said honestly. Kara nodded.

“Sorry. Better?” she tried again, but this time it was more like a whisper. Alex decided that was good enough. Another firework went off somewhere and Kara still flinched, but it wasn’t nearly as bad. Still, Alex wanted to help.

“Why don’t we go down to the basement and watch a movie?” she suggested. “I’ll even let you pick.” This was a rare concession as Kara had developed an obsession with cheesy romantic comedies, desperate to understand the ‘Earthly courting rituals and pop culture’ as she had put it. Normally Alex refused to watch those movies, but she would make an exception this time. Kara clapped and hopped up and down a little.

“And we have ice cream?” Kara asked excitedly.

“Sure. With fudge and whipped cream and sprinkles.” Alex smiled as Kara ran to the kitchen. Within a few minutes, she reemerged with a giant bowl of ice cream with all the toppings. “You go set up a movie and I’ll be down soon,” Alex laughed. When she got down to the basement a few minutes later, she found Kara sitting on the floor in front of the couch with a blanket wrapped around her whole body, leaving only her face and hands uncovered. She was flipping through the DVDs and when she heard Alex coming down, she turned.

“It is much quieter down here!” she said. Alex nodded, grabbing another few blankets from the linen closet before settling down on the ground next to Kara, digging into her ice cream.

“It’s soundproofed. Helps block outside noise,” Alex said through a mouthful. Kara giggled and popped in some cheesy Nicholas Sparks movie. Alex rolled her eyes, but settled in and got comfortable, letting Kara lean into her as she got comfortable. After a sensory overload like that, it was always important to let Kara initiate any physical contact; the Danvers had learned this lesson after more than a few bruises, sprained limbs, and holes in the wall made by Kara’s heat vision when she was touched too soon after.

“I like it. I can’t hear the sky screaming anymore,” Kara repeated. Alex bit her lip, wondering if she should correct Kara. In the end, her know-it-all tendencies won out.

“The sky wasn’t screaming. That high pitched whine? It was a firework. Something about the way it’s made or shaped or something makes it release that kind of high pitched whining sound you heard,” Alex explained.

“Oh. I still do not like it,” Kara said simply, whipped cream on her nose. Alex snickered but said nothing. They settled in to watch the movie silently. Halfway through the film, Kara ended up resting her head on Alex’s shoulder. By the time the guy had gotten the girl at the end of the movie, Kara was lying down with her head in Alex’s lap and Alex was running her hand through a very sleepy Kara’s hair.

“We should get to bed,” Alex sighed, shifting slightly in hopes that Kara would move. Thankfully, she sat up and followed Alex upstairs, both leaving the blankets and pillows on the floor. Alex went to rinse out the dirty dishes while Kara went upstairs to their shared bedroom. By the time Alex got up there and started to change into her pajamas, Kara was in the bathroom brushing her teeth, headphones still resting on her ears.

“I need the bathroom,” Alex reminded Kara when it seemed she was taking too long. Kara just nodded, tossing her snapped toothbrush in the garbage can (a relatively common event in their house). Alex returned to their room to find Kara sitting on the edge of Alex’s bed, toying with the edge of Alex’s blue throw blanket. It was soft and had tassels and Kara was just running her fingers over the fabric. “Kara?” Alex said softly, not wanting to startle her. Kara looked up, blushing at having been caught.

“I was… I don’t- Could I sleep- um, nevermind, I’ll just go back…” Kara trailed off nervously, standing and crossing the room to her own bed. 

“Wait, Kara, come back. You can… Do you want to borrow my blanket?” Alex tried, offering the soft blanket to Kara, who just shook her head. “Well, what do you-”

“I can’t sleep with the headphones on,” Kara interrupted, playing with her fingers absentmindedly. She chewed on her lower lip for a moment and Alex just waited, knowing there was more to that statement. “They are not comfy and I need to take them off to sleep. But… I don’t want to hear the fireworks again. It sounds… I don’t like the way it sounds. And I was hoping- well, kind of wondering- I guess- I mean, I- I wanted to fall asleep… listening to you… That sounded strange, I know. But if I focus on your body- your breathing, your heartbeat, that stuff- I won’t worry so much about more fireworks.” 

“I… Yeah, you can do that. Do you- how do you usually- how do you do that?” Alex asked awkwardly. Because sure, she was getting used to Kara being around and Kara was getting less weird but they still didn’t feel quite like anything more than roommates yet. So, Alex didn’t quite know how to process this request.

“I… It would be best if- if I was… I think it would be easiest if I- I was in your bed with you. It blocks everything else out,” Kara whispered, eyes glued to the floor and cheeks red.

“It’ll be like a sleepover,” Alex said softly, smiling. “Kinda like when Vicky and I have sleepovers. It’s fine, Kara. If it helps you, we can try it.” She tried to portray a confidence she wasn’t sure she felt about the action. But Kara seemed placated. Alex climbed into the bed first, squeezing herself against the wall. Her bed was a full size, so there was room enough for both of them, but it could be a tight squeeze. “Come on,” Alex said invitingly, patting the empty space next to her. Still fiddling with her fingers, Kara slowly climbed into the bed and slipped off the headphones. She rolled over so that she and Alex were facing each other, both under the covers now. They squirmed a bit, both trying to get comfortable. In the end, Kara ended up lying practically on top of Alex with her head on her chest; Alex laid stiffly, arms by her side. 

“Is this okay?” Kara said softly, not looking up. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” Alex whispered, hyper-aware of how her breathing made Kara’s head move. They laid in silence for a while; Alex was just starting to wonder if Kara had already fallen asleep when she spoke again.

“You know sound doesn’t travel in space?” she whispered. Alex hummed in acknowledgment. “It’s a vacuum. The sound waves can’t travel. So in space, you can’t hear anything. But for a moment after my pod launched, I was still in my planet’s atmosphere. And I could still hear. I heard the planet explode. I heard the screams and it just… It was so  _ loud _ .” Kara’s voice sounded so small, so scared.

“I bet it sounded like the sky itself was screaming,” Alex exhaled softly, the pieces falling into place about Kara’s earlier comments.

“I do not like the screaming fireworks,” Kara stated softly. Alex hummed, bringing her arms up to hug Kara, squeezing her tight. One hand rubbed circles in Kara’s back the way her dad did when Alex was upset.

“Next year, we’ll go to Canada for the whole damn Fourth of July season,” Alex promised. “You won’t hear the fireworks from there, I bet.”

“But what about your surf contest?” Kara said, and Alex could tell she was pouting, looking up at Alex with her nervous, wide, puppy-dog eyes.

“Fuck the contest. There’ll be others.  I’ll be fine. Now, close your eyes and go to sleep,” Alex said firmly, closing her own eyes as if leading by example. Kara whimpered a bit but Alex could feel that she was trying to relax, could feel the rhythmic tapping of Kara’s fingers on her mattress, beating out patterns of three. Alex started counting her inhales and exhales, holding each for three beats. After a while, the tapping stopped and Kara went limp on her chest, finally lapsing into sleep.

 

They never did get to Canada for the summer since they were still reeling from the loss of Jeremiah. But still, Alex held Kara when the fireworks were too loud. Over the years, Kara grew braver and would watch the fireworks from the window, headphones firmly on her ears. While in college, Kara and Alex started sitting on the roof to watch the fireworks. By the time Kara had grown up to become Supergirl and Alex was a badass DEO agent, Kara could go sit in the park to watch the fireworks like everyone else with only a set of foam earplugs to help stifle the noise. Every year, Alex and Kara would watch the fireworks together. And every year, they would fall asleep with Kara’s head on Alex’s chest, counting out the threes in her inhales and exhales. And eventually, Maggie and Lena joined in on the ritual as well, all three women sandwiching Kara as they held her and kept her safe from the memories of the day she heard her world imploding, the day she heard the sky scream.


	26. Defensive Maneuvers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How's this for a prompt, the girls find a food that Kara doesn't like and Alex starts putting it in everything to protect her food” ~jaguarspot

“Mom, Kara ate my lunch again! I’m running out of lunch money,” Alex groaned as soon as she got into the house, knowing Eliza would hear her from her office.

“I said I was sorry, Alex! I was just so hungry and the lunch ladies won’t let me buy anything since I don’t have money on my account,” Kara said, dropping her bag on the counter and heading straight to the fridge.

“Girls, stop fighting,” Eliza called distractedly. “Alex, I’ll put more money on your account. We’re having lemon chicken piccata with pasta for dinner. Could one of you start it for me? I’m a little busy with work.” 

“I will start the food!” Kara offered to Alex, grinning with cheeks puffed out, full of food. Alex rolled her eyes and moved to push Kara out of the way, giving Kara a moment to see and react, going pliant enough to allow Alex to push her aside. The first time Alex tried to hip-check Kara away from the fridge, Kara hadn’t moved an inch and Alex had a bruised hip for weeks; it had been a process in teaching Kara to react to human touch, constantly keeping herself loose enough not to hurt anyone else by accident.

“If you make dinner, you’ll eat it all before anyone else gets a taste,” Alex snorted.

“That happened one time!” Kara whined.

“The only time we let you cook.”

“Fine,” Kara said with a pout. She grabbed some snacks and a protein shake from the cupboard before retreating to the living room to do homework. Alex worked on hers while making dinner at the kitchen counter.

 

Kara set the table and Alex put the two pounds of chicken along with two full boxes of pasta on the table (since Kara came to live with them, they had nearly tripled the portions they made for every meal). Eliza only came out quickly to take a plate into her office, too busy with work to eat with them. Alex took her food then left the rest to Kara, knowing there would be no leftovers. Settling in for a quiet meal, Alex was startled when Kara coughed and gagged on her first bite.

“What? What? Are you okay?” Alex said quickly. Kara was looking at the food on her plate as if it had slapped her.

“What was that? It was  _ awful! _ ” Kara said, wrinkling her nose.

“Rude,” Alex snapped. She hadn’t burned it and had triple-checked the recipe! Sniffing it, she took a bite and found nothing wrong with it. Actually, it tasted pretty good. “What are you talking about? It tastes fine.”

“No! It is sour and… spoiled and it hurts my tongue!” Kara declared, pushing the food away. “I can’t eat another bite.” Alex paused, confused. In her first seven months on Earth, they had yet to find a food Kara didn’t love.

“You… don’t like the food?” Alex asked, cocking her head to the side. Kara nodded. The gears in Alex’s head were spinning, trying to think things through. “Well… I guess that means there’s more for me. Maybe I can make you something else. We can figure out what it is that you don’t like,” Alex offered. 

“Please. I am very hungry, but I don’t want to taste that again.” 

“As soon as I finish my dinner we can start.”

 

After an exhaustive set of experimenting with every ingredient in the lemon chicken piccata, Alex had determined that the problem was the lemon juice.

“It is very… sour? Is that the word?” Alex nodded encouragingly, scribbling down notes in her notebook. Whenever she could, Alex had been experimenting with Kara to try and figure out more about her; she wanted to know about her strength, her sensations, her dreams, the way she viewed the world. Everything was a chance to find out more. This new experiment with taste also had an added bonus for Alex, though.

“Alright… good to know. We have a frozen pizza in the garage freezer if you’re still hungry,” Alex offered. When Kara disappeared to go find her new dinner, Alex went to the grocery list hanging on the fridge and added one small item to the end of the list:  _ lemon juice. _

 

“Ooh! You made brownies!” Kara squealed, immediately going for the plate of treats. Alex tried to slap her hand away, but Kara was too fast.

“Hey, those are  _ mine _ ,” Alex protested. But Kara had already taken a bite. Grimacing, she put the brownie down on the counter. 

“This tastes awful!” Kara whined, sticking her tongue out and scrunching up her face. 

“I told you, they’re  _ mine _ . I put some lemon juice on the top to give them an extra  _ kick _ ,” Alex boasted proudly, taking the plate of desserts and putting plastic wrap on them before putting them in the fridge.

“That’s no fair, you know I hate lemon!” Kara pouted. Alex refused to look at her, refused to buckle. Kara petulantly stomped her foot.

“You know what I hate? When you steal my food. I figure all’s fair in hunger and war, right?” Alex said with a smirk.

“But I’m hungry!”

“Girls, stop fighting,” Eliza called absently from her office. Alex smirked at Kara triumphantly, sticking out her tongue. 

As she walked away, she turned to Kara. Over her shoulder, she added, “I wouldn’t bother trying my lunch, either. Lemon tastes pretty good on almost everything. At least… it tastes better than me starving to death thanks to you. Better start making your own food from now on.” Kara just pouted, turning to search through the fridge for something that didn’t reek of the dreaded lemon juice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I either need some prompt ideas or I think I'm going to close this story, at least for now. I have school stuff and I work and I joined some new clubs so I haven't had as much time to brainstorm ideas so I need inspiration. If you don't have any suggestions, that's fine because I don't either lol. Hope you enjoyed!!


	27. Making Adjustments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Could you write a chapter on Kara's early time on Earth, when she was overwhelmed by everything but especially touch? Because I feel like Kara is a very tactile, touchy person now and she and Alex use physical touch to comfort each other, but I also think Kara would've had trouble adjusting to it when she first got to their house. Between the fear of breaking things and the strong sensation of the contact. It would be cool to see how they progressed to where they are.” ~Anonymous

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, friend, so I kind of strayed from this prompt but I did my best with it! Thanks for the idea and I hope you like it!

The first thing she knew when the pod opened on Earth was warmth. It rushed through her quickly, different from Rao but not  _ bad _ . It was warm and it was bright and then the man was blocking the light. His words were loud and they made no sense to her until the pod’s language lexicon started translating for her. Then the man was claiming he was Kal-El and explained that Kara had been trapped in the phantom zone for over twenty years and the warmth faded.

 

That first night, she stayed in Kal’s home. He called it an  _ apartment _ . His Kryptonese was stilted and awkward, unfamiliar and rough on his tongue; Kara cried knowing that it was because she was not there to teach him when he was young. She had missed so much of his life - he went by  _ Clark _ now, a human name - but she was here with him now. He had scooped her into his arms, cradling her as if she were a small child, and taken off into the sky. Kara yelled, first in fright then in excitement as the wind whipped her face.

That first day, he took her to his  _ apartment _ and sat her down on the couch, telling her in his clunky, elementary Kryptonian to  _ stay _ , like an animal. The windows in his home were large, letting in the streaming yellow sunlight and Kara was drawn to it, standing and staring out the windows. She closed her eyes and let her arms fall to her side, basking in the light. It felt rejuvenating, it felt like she thought the Afterlife with Rao would feel. She hoped her family- her people - felt this way, safe in Rao’s embrace.

She was pulled from her glorious daydreaming when Kal grabbed her arm and roughly yanked her from the window. He was in human clothes now, plain two-piece garb that had strange circular objects in a row down the middle. Kara could not see the crest anywhere on it and she felt saddened to think he no longer upheld the tradition. He yelled at her in his strange human language, the sounds loud and grating against her ear. He sounded louder than he did when he first spoke to her in the pod.

_ “Please! Stop! Quiet, Kal, I cannot understand!” _ she yelled, covering her ears with his hands and closing her eyes. He paused, lowered his voice considerably but he still spoke in the human language. When he finally switched to Kryptonese, it was slow and improper as if he were trying to translate in his head as he spoke.

_ “Not safe. No one sees you here. Stay not near the windows, thank you.” _ Kara nodded, whimpering a little bit. She opened her eyes and dropped her hands, nodding in consent. But when Kal was busy making calls to other people, speaking nervously in his human language, she crept back to the windows, craving the way the sun felt on her skin. As she stood there, absorbing the skin, she slowly grew stronger.

 

The next morning, she woke on the floor next to the windows bathed in early morning sun. She could hear the sounds of footsteps on the pavement, over a hundred feet below. She could hear more of the human language, as loud as if it were in the room with her, but it was empty. When she sat up, she heard the rustling of her clothes against her skin, and she felt every fiber rubbing against her. She looked out the window and saw all the way through the building next door, far beyond what she should be able to see. 

_ “Kal? Kal, I am afraid! What is happening?” _ she whispered, closing her eyes and pushing her hands into her eyes, hoping to make it stop. But she saw right through her eyelids, right through her skin, her tendons, her bones, out the other side and through the floors of the apartments below. She cried and cried, just wanting to be home. After a few minutes, Kal came in, wearing the red and blue suit bearing the coat of arms that he wore when he greeted her yesterday.

_ “Kara, we go now. Go to trip away. New home. Jeremiah and Eliza Danvers, daughter Alex, daughter you, too. They fix your powers problems.” _ He picked her up, his strong hands feeling like a thousand tiny pinpricks against her skin. His suit was itchy and scratched at her body as he cradled her. She screamed while they flew, but he kept going, assumed it was fear of heights or excitement.

 

And then, he left her there. 

He left her in a strange house in a strange country on a strange planet in a galaxy far, far away from home. Her home that had been burned to rubble and ash and wiped from existence over two decades ago. He left her with these strange people who spoke a foreign tongue and a girl with long hair who was supposed to be her sister now. And everything was too loud and everything hurt her skin and it was too bright and when she tried to grab a cup to drink some water, the glass shattered and exploded all over the room. The clothes hurt her skin and anyone’s touch felt like her skin was on fire.

Eliza, who had a better grip on Kryptonese than anyone else she’d met so far, spoke in hushed tones and tried to explain how the yellow sun gave her powers here. It made her hear too much, see too much, feel too much. Her strength was too much, her speed would be too much, everything about her would be too much.

Kara did not sleep for three days. Every time she tried to close her eyes, she found herself seeing the stars above or deep beneath the ground. She could hear every blade of grass twitching in the breeze, every grain of sand grinding against each other, every car passing by the neighborhood. She could feel the rough textures of the clothes they gave her grating against her body. When she did finally rest, it was due solely to the fact that she passed out from sheer exhaustion.

 

Slowly, Kara got used to the sensations. Her English got better. She could look at someone without seeing their skull. She could sit outside without wearing headphones to block out the noises. She could bump into someone and not feel like her skin was burning. She could wear clothes without wanting to constantly rip them off. Eliza and Jeremiah helped - sometimes with things like the lead-glasses, sometimes with just a quiet word or a soothing reminder that she would be okay. But still, Alex was distant.

“You… do not… like me?” Kara said slowly, wanting to be sure she got the words right. Alex had a tendency to get frustrated when Kara said things wrong. But Alex was doing her homework now in the room they called the living room (Kara didn’t understand- were they not living in  _ all _ of their rooms?) when Kara decided to ask. She had been with the Danvers for almost a month now and Alex still tensed up whenever Kara got too close. Like now, her heart had sped up and Kara watched her muscles clench.

“What makes you say that?” she asked, her voice tight. Kara could hear her teeth grinding together and she winced but tried to keep her focus.  _ Just listen for a heartbeat. Mine, Eliza’s, Alex’s, your own. Anyone nearby. Focus on the heartbeat to keep you centered and block out those other noises _ , Jeremiah told her.

“You leave the room when I enter. You… you…” Kara gasped dramatically and visibly tensed up, forgetting the words for a moment. She hoped Alex would understand her pantomiming. “You do that… when I am close to you or Eliza or Jeremiah. I wonder… You do not like me?” Kara said, her voice still thick with the Kryptonian accent.

“I don’t… I don’t  _ hate _ you,” Alex said after a moment of clear hesitation. “I just… You make me nervous.”

“Ner-vous,” Kara repeated, rolling the word on her tongue. “Nervous like-” she gasped and clenched again and Alex rolled her eyes, cheeks flushing red, but nodded.

“I’m not that dramatic about it,” she scoffed. “But yes, basically. Nervous is like… scared about something. Or worried about something that might happen.” Kara nodded, looking down determinedly at the floor, mouthing words as she tried to phrase her next sentence.

“Why I make you nervous?” she finally said. Kara scrunched up her nose when she looked at Alex, a crinkle forming between her eyebrows. Alex sighed, sitting up in her seat and moving her notebook- it looked like she wouldn’t be finishing her history notes just yet.

“You’re… just too… too strong,” Alex finally answered, not looking at Kara as she spoke.

“Explain, please?” Kara said softly, running her hand over the fabric on the couch until every fiber pointed the same way. She liked the repetitive motion, liked the way it felt once all of the fibers were smooth, were the same, were working together. 

“You break everything you touch,” Alex said harshly and Kara’s focus faltered at her tone. Her grip on the arm of the chair tightened and she heard the frame crack beneath the upholstery. Alex rolled her eyes and scoffed, gesturing to the offending part of the couch. “See?”

“I am sorry! I just got startled! I did not mean to!” Kara said quickly, eyes welling with tears. She wiped furiously at them, not wanting Alex to see her get so upset.

“It doesn’t matter whether you mean to! You break everything. You break doors, you break plates, we have to buy toothbrushes in  _ bulk _ from suppliers because of how often you break them! You broke my dad’s hand when he tried to teach you how to shake hands and you cracked my mom’s ribs when you hugged her after a nightmare! You bumped into my shoulder and I had the bruise for  _ two weeks! _ You’re made of steel but you don’t know how to control it and whenever you’re around I’m afraid you’re going to lose your focus and accidentally kill one of us by hugging too hard or something!” Alex shouted, all of her emotions pouring out. She had been shoving it all down since Kara came to live with them. All of her fears, her frustrations with the pressure being placed on her ( _ Alex, dear, you have to take care of Kara now; it’s up to you; protect her Alex _ ), her fear of being replaced, her anxiety about losing her friends, her stress about how people would react to Kara, her sleepless nights spent listening to Kara mourn for her planet, it all came rushing out in her outburst. For a moment, neither girl moved. 

Then, Kara’s lip wobbled and in a burst of wind, she was gone but Alex still heard the sob that was wrenched from her lips as she left.

_ “Fuck, _ ” she whispered harshly to herself. She had to fix this before her parents came home from work.

 

After an hour, she found Kara sitting on the roof. Alex carefully climbed out her window to join her, toting her fuzzy blue blanket behind her. 

“Kara?” she said softly. The younger girl was still whimpering, tears streaming down her face. She flinched at Alex’s voice.

“I would leave, but Kal says he... cannot take me back. I could go live at Fortress if you wish,” Kara offered, her voice shaky. She didn’t pick her head up from her knees. Alex slowly started crawling over.

“No, you don’t have to do that. Here, can I put this around your shoulders?” Alex asked nervously, offering up the blanket. Kara peered over at her, nodding once. Slowly, carefully, Alex draped the blanket around Kara’s shoulders like a cape. Kneeling in front of Kara, she pulled the blanket as tight as she could before giving Kara the blanket. “I read that tight pressure all over the body can help when it gets to be… too much,” Alex explained stiffly. She shuffled to sit next to Kara, wrapping her arms around her knees. They sat in silence for a while.

“I… I’m sorry,” Alex finally said. Kara just shifted so that she was looking at Alex, her temple still resting on her knee. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you like that… I was just… Frustrated and scared and sad but I shouldn’t have taken it out on you.”

“What saddens you?” Kara asked. Alex’s cheeks flushed a deep red.

“I just… It’s stupid,” she muttered, resting her chin on her knee and looking out towards the ocean.

“Nothing about you is stupid, Alex,” Kara said immediately. Alex sighed; how was she supposed to be upset with Kara when this girl was so  _ nice _ ?

“I guess I was  _ jealous _ , or something… Because my parents are always paying attention to you. I was… I was an only child before this, okay? And I guess I got spoiled by all the attention and know I’m expected to share my parents and I’m responsible for you and I’m never doing anything right and you mess up but they don’t seem to care and it’s stupid and petty and childish and I just got mad, okay? I’m sorry I yelled, especially because I know how you hate the loud noises. And all that stuff I said wasn’t, like, fair. It wasn’t right. So… I’m sorry.” When Alex was finished speaking, her shoulders sagged and she held herself in a tight little ball, closing her eyes and waiting to hear Kara’s reaction. After a few minutes of Kara muttering, growing increasingly frustrated, she spoke and Alex opened her eyes.

“I do not know the words, Alex,” she admitted. Alex exhaled loudly, relieved, smiling as she let her muscles unwind, turning to face Kara more. “I am trying to say… I understand your ‘sorry’? I… I take your ‘sorry’?” Kara tried, looking upset.

“You accept my apology? You forgive me? That… kind of sounds like what you’re trying to say?” Alex tried not to get her hopes up. But immediately, Kara nodded, her face lighting up as she sat up straighter, scooting closer to Alex.

“Yes! That! I accept your a-pah-low-gee,” Kara said, carefully sounding out the word as she repeated it back. Alex nodded encouragingly.

“That’s… awesome. Thank you, Kara. Can I… Are you… Do you wanna hug?” Alex asked nervously. Kara nodded eagerly, beaming at Alex. Then she pulled back, horror on her face.

“Are you not worried about my hugs? I hurt you!”

“Well, actually… I wanted to help you with that. It’s like… I’m going to train you! Or… help you practice. Like with your English! I think it will help me be less nervous about your powers and it’ll help you with your control!” Kara wrinkled her nose and crinkled her brows together, tilting her head to the side.

“What will help?”

“Me!” Alex exclaimed. Kara flinched against the sudden noise. “Oh, shit, sorry. I meant… me!” Alex said, whispering now. “Come downstairs to the kitchen and I’ll show you.” Kara nodded and they carefully crawled back through the window and headed down into the kitchen where Alex immediately began to pull things from shelves. 

“What is these?”

“Are,” Alex corrected. “When there’s more than one thing that you’re asking about, the phrase is ‘what  _ are _ these?’”

“What  _ are _ these?” Kara repeated, rolling her eyes.

“Practice tools! But first, hug me.” Alex spun on her heel, holding her arms out while she waited for a hesitant Kara.

“What if I squeeze too hard?” she said softly, staring at the ground.

“Then I’ll scream. And you’ll stop hugging me. And we’ll put ice on me. So, don’t hug me too hard,” Alex said, shrugging. She wiggled her fingers. “I’m waiting. Come hug me.” Slowly, carefully, Kara approached and gave Alex a feather-light hug, barely touching her. Alex responded by wrapping her arms around Kara, pulling her close. Kara’s arms hung loosely wrapped around Alex. “Hug me tighter.”

“Alex,” Kara whined, wriggling in her grasp. But she didn’t move too much for fear of hurting Alex. 

“Nope, no whining. I’m not letting go until you hug me a little harder.” Kara whined, frustrated and scared. Alex stood patiently, just holding Kara until finally, the pressure increased and Kara hugged her a little tighter. Now, instead of hugging a limp paper bag, it was like being wrapped loosely in a blanket. “Tighter,” Alex ordered. Huffing, Kara hugged her tighter. Now it felt more like a proper hug. “A little tighter.” Kara obliged, tucking her head into the crook of Alex’s neck and grasping at the back of her shirt, hugging her tightly. It was a bit too tight, a little bit hard to breathe, but her ribs weren’t broken, so she’d consider it a success. Kara whined again as she heard the increase in Alex’s heart rate and felt guilty and nervous and scared, increasing her grip; Alex’s spine cracked as her vertebrae aligned themselves.

“Oh no!” Kara gasped, immediately releasing her. Alex let her back away, stretching her back and rolling her neck.

“No, no, I’m fine! You just cracked my back, it’s fine! Hurt a little bit, but it’s fine,” Alex assured her quickly. “I just wanted you to practice, to feel how much pressure you need to use to give a good hug.”

“I do not like. What if I hurt you?” Kara whimpered, tugging on her hair as she ran her fingers through it nervously.

“Kara, it’s like learning anything new, like babies learning to walk. They have to get used to the muscles and they have to practice and get used to the way it feels. That’s all! And I haven’t been good about helping you practice, so… That’s what we’re going to do!” 

“Why do we need these snacks to practice?” Kara asked, wrapping her arms around her belly, not trusting herself to touch Alex. On the counter, Alex had set out the eggs, a bag of potato chips, a fresh tomato, and a loaf of bread.

“Because they’re all soft things. And even humans can squash these if they’re not careful. So I want you to get used to holding them so you know the right pressure and stuff. If we can get you to handle these things, you’ll have more control over your fine motor skills,” Alex explained, tossing the loaf of bread from hand to hand. She opened the plastic and took out the crusty, end piece of bread. “Think fast!” she said, tossing it at Kara. 

Kara reacted quickly, snatching the bread out of the air, crumpling it in her fist, making a ball of bread smaller than the palm of Alex’s hand. As she opened her hand to show Alex the bread, eyes wide and nervous, Alex quirked her mouth to the side.

“Okay, so maybe that wasn’t a fair test. I think anyone might do something like that… Here, I’m going to try… Handing you a piece of bread. And I want you to hold it tight enough that you won’t drop it if I hit it, but not so tight that you squish it, okay?” Alex said, offering her another piece of bread. Kara nodded, committing herself to the tasks, knowing Alex was stubborn and wouldn’t let her walk away without a fight.

 

When Eliza and Jeremiah arrived home, they found the kitchen floor covered in bread crumbs and crusts, squashed tomato innards, egg shells and yolks, and potato chip crumbs. Alex and Kara were also both covered in sticky food remnants but they were together in the kitchen. Alex was smiling, watching Kara balance the egg in her mouth carefully.

“Perfect! Just like a retriever,” Alex laughed breathlessly. And when Kara went to laugh, she bit down on the egg, immediately spitting it onto the ground, wrinkling her nose in distaste. This set Alex roaring in laughter and Kara couldn’t help the giggles that came out.

“I certainly hope you girls plan on cleaning this mess up,” Jeremiah said sternly, causing both girls to freeze and turn. But when Jeremiah winked and smiled, Alex relaxed which in turn made Kara relax slightly.

“And I hope you didn’t use the rest of the eggs,” Eliza added. She began to walk towards their bedroom, not having the energy to deal with this just yet. “Someone order a pizza for dinner, I’m not cooking until that kitchen is spotless.” They waited until she had shut the door behind her before anyone in the kitchen spoke.

“Do I even wanna know?” Jeremiah said quietly with a smirk.

“We were practicing Kara’s strength and dexterity!” Alex said. 

At the same time, Kara laughed and said, “Alex said dogs can carry eggs in their mouths because they are soft and I wanted to try!” Jeremiah just shook his head, trying not to laugh.

“Just… clean up this mess,” he said, shaking his head and walking out towards the bedroom. He was out of Alex’s earshot but Kara could hear him as he murmured to himself, “ah, sisters…” Kara just grinned to herself as she helped Alex to clean up the mess.


	28. Space Adventures

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “How about Kara and Alex's first visit to the space center? Kara should know way more about the subject. It would be interesting to see a little role reversal where Kara is the one teaching Alex.” ~@Bandygirl

“I think we should go to the Air and Space Museum this summer,” Alex declared. Eliza sighed, putting her pen down. She had been working in her office when Alex came in with Kara trailing behind, bouncing on her toes excitedly.

“Alexandra,” Eliza said, pinching the bridge of her nose. “I don’t know if I can take you girls somewhere this summer.”

“We always go somewhere over the summer,” Alex reminded her. “Even last year we went somewhere.” Last summer was their first summer without Jeremiah and Eliza took them to a lakeside cabin rental in Canada.

“Last year we used some of the life insurance money and I wanted to give you girls something nice to do… to take your mind off of things. This year I’m busy with work and I don’t think I can take a week off to take you across the country. It’s just not going to work out,” Eliza said firmly.

“That’s not-”

“Don’t even start with me about what is and isn’t fair, Alexandra. You are old enough to know that life isn’t fair,” Eliza said sternly.

“What if we just went by ourselves?” Kara asked, eyes downcast. “On Krypton, I would be considered more than old enough to have started in a guild. I would be treated as an adult and given the trust and responsibilities associated with the title.”

“It’s different here, Kara, sweetheart. Alex is barely eighteen and you’re only sixteen. It would be considered irresponsible for me to let you go,” Eliza said, voice softening as she explained it to the young girl. Even though she had been on this plant for over three years now, Eliza still treated her like that same scared kid. Alex had to resist the urge not to roll her eyes.

“Mom, it’s the summer before my senior year. Next summer I’ll be getting ready for college and working and everything. We need… Kara and I need one last hurrah before I go away to school. You can send us on a really cheap flight. Or maybe a train? We could even drive if it’s about money! Please, Mom, this really means a lot to us,” Alex said plaintively. Eliza sighed heavily, chewing on the inside of her cheek. Alex knew she was thinking about it and knew from experience not to bother her while she was deliberating like this.

“I suppose… I can look into it,” she said slowly.

“Yes!” Alex grinned, pumping her fist. “Thank you so much, Mom, it means a lot. You’re the best!” Alex hugged her quickly. Kara did the same, beaming and chasing after Alex.

“Girls, I only said I’d think about it!” Eliza called after them, but she knew as well as they did; her mind was as good as made up for her.

 

“Do you have everything you need?” Eliza asked, hand on Kara’s shoulders. It was a dry, scorching day in July and Eliza was dropping the girls off at the airport. They had checked in their luggage and were holding their tickets. They each carried a backpack as a carry-on and were dressed in comfortable exercise shorts and t-shirts, their long hair pulled up. Eliza had discussed this extensively with the Kents and they’d determined that the airport security would pose no harm to Kara and it was the fastest, easiest way to travel. Eliza had fashioned her a set of lead-lined, noise-canceling headphones to help her with the noise from the plane. Alex had brought her laptop and several college application processes so she could work on the flight.

“Yes, we do! And Alex has the card you gave her and she has her money and we have our phones and my headphones and her laptop and-”

“Yes, yes, Mom, we do. I’ve got the tickets and copies of all of our important stuff and ID. We’re gonna call you when we get there and when we check in and everything. But we should go so we can get in line and stuff,” Alex interrupted, checking her watch. Eliza huffed, still looking at Kara before pulling her in for a tight hug. Then she pulled Alex into an equally tight hug before kissing both girls’ cheeks and waving as they made their way through the first security checkpoint. Eliza stood there waving until they were out of her sight.

 

“This is so exciting! Alex, I cannot wait! I looked online and I planned where we are going to go first in the museum. It will be lovely!” Kara whispered. They were sitting just behind the wing, Kara by the window and Alex in the aisle. She wore her headphones, but they weren’t plugged into anything and all they did was dull the noise of the airplane engines.

“Yeah, Kara, it’ll be great. But you should plug in your mp3 and listen to music or something. I’m trying to draft out an application essay. Why don’t you relax and read for a little bit, okay?” Alex whispered. She felt guilty about dismissing Kara so quickly but really, this was a seven-hour flight and she had things to do. If she wanted to get into Stanford early decision, she needed this essay to be kick-ass.

“Oh, right, okay,” Kara hummed happily, plugging in her headphones and staring out the window, watching the world pass by below. Alex grinned, going back to her work.

 

“Yes, yes, mom, we’re fine. We checked into the hotel and we’re on our way to the Smithsonian. Yes, I have our waters. And Kara’s snacks, yes. I promise I will keep an eye on her. Mom, we’ll be fine! Okay, okay, here’s Kara. Love you!” Alex said into the phone as they boarded the bus, handing the phone to Kara. It was their first day after checking into the hotel the previous night and both girls were eager to get going.

“Eliza! Hi! Yes, we are going to see the air and space museum! I am excited. No, no, I promise I’ll be good. And I’ll stay with Alex, yes. I will send you pictures of all the things! Enjoy your work! Goodbye, I love you,” Kara said brightly. Alex took the phone back and pushed Kara into a seat as they rumbled along down the streets of DC, on their way to the museum.

 

“Wow, this is  _ amazing! _ ” Alex gasped, head tilted back as she spun in a circle, looking up at the planes and rocket parts that were suspended over the lobby. The ceiling was high, at least a hundred yards tall. It was an open room, branching off to several other exhibition halls. Families milled around the open space and Alex and Kara pushed through the throng.

“Yes! So cool!” Kara called back, mimicking Alex’s position. Alex straightened back up, grabbing Kara’s hand as she began to drift away in the crowd.

“No, stay near me. Do we wanna start on the bottom floor and go up or the top floor and work down? I planned routes for either direction.”

“Bottoms up!” Kara grinned, remembering hearing the phrase when they passed the hotel bar on their way to the elevators last night. Alex rolled her eyes at her sister’s phrasing and grabbed her wrist, taking her to the nearest exhibit hall.

 

“Look at it; it’s beautiful,” Alex sighed, staring at the image plastered on the wall. The plaques and informational blurbs around it gave them the necessary information, but Alex already knew it. “They pointed the Hubble telescope at the darkest part of the sky and they found… hundreds of galaxies. It’s amazing! Look at everything that’s out there- and this is just what we can see! What do you think it’s like out there?” Alex said softly, not really expecting Kara to respond; Vicky never had an answer when Alex got really passionate about space like this.

“Well, I… I could give you some… theories…?” Kara said carefully, glancing around as if making sure no one was listening. “You know I… I could tell you about them,” she clarified.

“You’ve  _ seen them? _ ” Alex hissed, grabbing Kara’s wrist and pulling her closer. Kara nodded quickly, grinning nervously at Alex. “You have to tell me about them. What about… this one? Have you been to that one?” Kara shook her head, shifting down the wall to point at a small spot of green-ish light.

“I’ve been here, though. The Threxlor Galaxy. It’s much, much smaller than this one, but it’s got a red sun and seven planets orbiting it. Only two are occupied, but the others are vacation spots. They’ve got this one planet that’s great for- well, I guess it’s kind of like snowboarding? Extreme sledding? It’s covered in these big, icy mountain and they’ve got these liquid methane rivers running through it and it’s… We went there once before my cousin was born. It was nice,” Kara grinned fondly, lost in thought.

“That’s… Oh my God, when we get home I want to hear all about the trips you took as a kid,” Alex said softly. On good days, she could get Kara to discuss life on Krypton, or she sometimes painted pictures of it, but Alex hadn’t even thought about Kara traveling to other planets. But she didn’t want to get into this in public where anyone could be listening.

 

As they moved through the exhibits, it became clear that Kara was a science genius and her intellect was far beyond that of the National Air and Space Museum. Part of Alex didn’t really like the role reversal; usually, Alex was the only patiently explaining things like conjunctions and microwaves and Republicans to Kara. But at the same time, she reveled in the new knowledge, in the way Kara taught her. It was unlikely that her mom would let Kara pursue science further since it was clear from talking to her that this knowledge was otherworldly, but Kara really seemed to light up when she was explaining things to Alex. They were currently standing in front of an exhibit about how they were trying to explore deep space through listening to radio frequencies.

“Well, yeah. They’re not scanning the right frequencies to hear communications from other planets. I know my pod was sending out signals before I arrived, but no one heard them. It’s like this… Like how you have the ‘am’ and ‘fm’ stations?” Kara said, bouncing on her toes. 

“No, not ‘am’ and ‘fm’, Kara. AM and FM. You say the letters,” Alex corrected gently, trying not to laugh. But Kara was on a roll.

“Right, whatever. But it’s like… If you go your whole life only listening to the AM stations on the radio, you might think there’s nothing else out there. But if you just change how you’re listening and go to the FM frequencies, you can find more stuff than you even knew existed! And if the NASA can just change the types of frequencies they’re listening for, they could probably hear a lot more communications from other worlds!” Kara beamed. 

 

They came back to the air and space museum the next day. And the day after that. And every day, Kara would go through the exhibits and explain them to Alex, going over the misconceptions and shortcomings of the exhibits. When they would go back to the hotel to rest, Kara would tell stories about her visits to other planets and galaxies. They spent their evenings at festivals and parties and, one Saturday night, sneaking into a bar downtown where they flirted with some American University law students. 

After finishing the air and space museum, they went through some of the other Smithsonian museums and Alex was able to explain some things to Kara, but none of the other museums were as fascinating for them. They visited the national monuments and snuck into a tour group and managed to get a free meal from it. Their bags were filled with souvenirs and their cameras with pictures of each other.

“What was your favorite part of the trip?” Eliza had asked when she picked them up at the airport.

“The whole thing,” Alex had shrugged. “It was just really fun.” After Eliza’s admonishment that that was a noncommittal answer, she turned to Kara, who beamed.

“Everything!” Eliza just chuckled and rolled her eyes. Alex was in too good of a mood to point out that Kara’s answer was just as noncommittal and general as her.

 

Later that night, they were both lying in their beds in their shared room, trying to fall asleep. Alex rolled over to look at Kara, finding her lying on her back and staring up at the ceiling. Alex wondered if she was using her x-ray vision to look at the stars; if Alex could, she would.

“Wanna know my favorite part of the trip?” Alex said after a few minutes of silence. Kara nodded. “Learning all of those new things from you. It’s usually me teaching you stuff, but this time it was the opposite. And it was… nice,” Alex explained. 

“My favorite part was when we got free potstickers from the tourist group,” Kara said. Alex just laughed. She was still smiling when she fell asleep.


	29. As A Speeding Bullet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I've seen many bits or stories about how Alex helped Kara learn to control her strength or adapt to her new hearing, but I have yet to see one where Alex helps her learn to control her speed.” ~Marysocontrary

A few weeks after Kara’s arrival at the Danvers house, all of her powers seem to have come in, and the house reflected their arrival. The door hinges had all been replaced so many times after Kara’s strength came in and she was constantly ripping the doors off of their hinges. Jeremiah had to take multiple loads of broken furniture and even their marble countertop- now in pieces- to the town dump after Kara started breaking things. The stairs had been fixed so many times that Kara had taken to floating up and down the stairs to avoid accidentally breaking them.

There were scorch marks on the walls leftover from every time Kara started to get upset. Every object in their house that made sound had the sound lowered and most were set to have subtitles playing. The lights were often dimmed to help with her sensitive eyesight. There were several objects and some meals sitting on the counter thawing out from an accidental blast of Kara’s freeze breath. Kara’s bedroom had already gotten three new coats of paint (one with a lead-based paint to give her some reprieve from her overwhelming senses, and two more of a non-lead based paint to prevent any potential lead poisoning to the other members of the family). 

They had found ways to deal with almost all of Kara’s powers, keeping them under control and finding ways to cope with the damages caused. One instance where they struggled with this was Kara’s speed; this was the reason they decided not to enroll her in school just yet. There were tracks worn in the backyard where Kara had accidentally sped across the grass instead of casually jogging like she intended. While Kara was starting to get a better control of her other powers, controlling her speed when trying to move at a reasonably quick pace for humans. Thankfully, Jeremiah and Eliza had a plan.

“We’re leaving for February break a little bit early this year. Martha and Jonathan are hosting us at their farm so we can work with Kara on her speed. Alex, your teachers are going to give you the work you’ll miss and then we’ll head out there for two whole weeks. If it takes longer than that, you and I will return home while Jeremiah stays with Kara to work on it,” Eliza explained one afternoon. Alex’s eyes widened; that only left her three days to pack.

“But Mom-” Alex started.

“Alexandra,” she said warningly. Though Kara and Alex had made progress in their relationship and were a bit friendlier now, Eliza was cautious of her eldest daughter’s jealousy and frequent annoyance with Kara. “Family takes care of each other and supports one another. Are you part of this family?”

“Yes,” Alex sighed heavily, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. As it was, she folded her arms across her chest and pursed her lips.

“Good, then you’ll start packing. Help Kara pack, too. You should bring plenty of exercise clothes,” Eliza said, kissing the top of Alex’s head before she went back into her home office, locking herself away while she worked.

 

The flight to the Wichita airport was long and arduous for Kara- and, by extension, Alex who was sitting next to her. Eliza and Jeremiah had sprung for first class so that Kara could have some space from the other people on the plane. She had her special headphones on and she kept her eyes closed. With every bump of the plane and every crying baby, Kara would squeeze Alex’s hand tighter. Every time Alex winced, Kara would release her and grab for the armrest, but Alex would rather Kara hurt her hand than break the plane- that would raise some eyebrows. Kara whispered to Alex that she could still hear the engines like a roaring in her ears and she felt the vibrations and minute shifts of the plane in the wind. It was a stressful ride for her, to say the least.

But finally, they landed and got off the plane. They made their way into a rental car and drove for three more hours until they finally arrived at the Kent Farm.

“Welcome to Cowtown, USA,” Alex muttered darkly, glaring out the window. Eliza turned to give her a stern look as they turned off of the dusty street lined with only fields for the last mile, and onto a dirt road. They drove underneath the gate with a charming, rustic wooden sign letting everyone know this was the Kent Farm. The farmhouse was a tall, charming yellow house with a big porch and a porch swing. The big red barn had the doors open and Alex saw Mr. Kent coming out, pulling off his big leather gloves and waving before turning to shut the barn door. Kara, meanwhile, was bouncing in her seat and had launched herself out of the car before it had fully stopped. Alex was slower to get out and by the time she reached the front porch, Kara was already mid-conversation with Jonathan and Martha.

“- and I tried to run to catch the ball, but I ended up lost in the woods. I am working on my strength and my other things, but I am too fast! But maybe here, I can fix that! I can learn to be… what’s the word again?” Kara asked, furrowing her brow.

“Normal?” Alex supplied.

“Yes! Normal! I want to learn to be normal! Like Kal! When is he coming?” Martha and Jonathan shared a look before leading them inside. Eliza followed with her carryon while Jonathan went to go help Jeremiah with their luggage.

“He’s a little caught up with stuff in Metropolis right now, sweetheart. Lex Luthor was behind those attacks at the Marine Biology Laboratory in Metropolis and Clark has been dealing with the aftermath. There’s a lot of debris to be cleaned up in the water and he really wants to try and nail Lex for this since he keeps slipping through the cracks in the system- not to mention the articles he has to write for the  _ Planet _ ! He’s not sure if he’ll be able to come at all this week,” Martha explained, gently putting a hand on Kara’s shoulder. Kara shivered at the touch, still occasionally bothered by that type of touch. She stepped away, frowning at Martha.

“But- but he’s supposed to be here! I thought Kal was going to help me get control of my powers,” Kara pouted.

“Well, really, Jonathan will be more helpful to you. Clark was so young when he got his speed that he might not remember the adjustment much. But Jonathan and I remember how we helped him adjust. Don’t worry, sweetheart. Now, why don’t I bring you to the guest rooms so you can settle in, hmm? We’ll be having dinner soon and I know you’re probably hungry,” Martha offered, leading them up to the pristine bedrooms upstairs. Kara trailed behind the group, looking at the pictures of Kal at various ages that decorated the walls.

“You’re pouting again,” Alex pointed out, none too kindly. Kara jumped and Alex just smirked. “Relax, he’ll get here when he can. Your cousin’s kind of a busy dude. Villains don’t take two weeks off just because he wants to.” Kara nodded slowly before continuing to trudge up the stairs. “Come on, slowpoke, I want to get up there before my hair turns gray,” Alex scoffed, pushing on the small of Kara’s back. Kara huffed softly before moving her legs a little faster, trying to jog up the stairs the way she’s seen Alex do a thousand times. But then, before she can blink, she’s at the top of the stairs and down the hall, skidding to a stop so quickly that she slams into the bed frame.

“Kara, not  _ that _ fast!” Alex called, laughing hysterically from the stairs. As Martha and Eliza looked at her curiously, Kara blushed bright red and fiddled with her glasses. This was going to be a  _ long _ two weeks.

 

“This isn’t  _ working _ ,” Kara whined, picking hay out of her ponytail. She and Jonathan and Jeremiah had set up a stack of hay bales out in an empty field which Jonathan kept lovingly referring to as “the back 40” whatever that meant.

“It’s only been two days, kid. It took Clark a while to really get the hang of it. Keep trying. All it takes is a little focus, okay?” Jonathan said encouragingly. “Now, you want to keep a rhythm to your footsteps. When we taught Clark, he was in kindergarten and had already learned the alphabet, so every time he ran, he would focus on singing the alphabet song and matching his steps to the beat. Let’s try that, pick a song.” 

Kara closed her eyes and tried to remember the words to some of the songs Alex played on the radio. As she thought, her mind drifted and she ended up focusing her hearing on the songs Alex was  _ currently _ playing from a radio up in the barn. Alex had taken to going up to the barn to work on her homework before Eliza and Jeremiah would make her go help Kara. She was up in the barn loft, where Kal apparently used to spend most of his time and was fiddling around with his old radio. It only got mostly country stations or talk radio until eventually, Alex had found more of a pop radio station. It wasn’t the punk rock she had liked to listen to, but it was better than country. The crackling radio was currently playing something by Britney Spears and Alex was humming along, though whenever Kara played her music, Alex would groan and complain. It’s this sound, this pop song with Alex occasionally singing along, that she focuses on as she tries to run.

And for a moment, it works. She’s running around in the oval-shaped track they had set up and she’s going at a human pace. Jeremiah and Jonathan are cheering her on and Kara feels fantastic! But then the song on Alex’s radio changed to something faster and Kara tried to change pace, but she lost focus and crashed into the hay bales meant to keep her from disappearing in a blur of dust. 

“This sucks,” Kara complained, pulling the hay out of her clothes and trudging back over to Jonathan and Jeremiah.

 

“I can’t do this,” Kara complained as she collapsed into the twin bed. They had been at Kent farm for a whole week and still, Kal hadn’t come by to help Kara. He always had a slew of excuses when she called- a robber was holding hostages, Lex Luthor was attacking but Clark couldn’t prove he was connected, there was a house fire- and Kara still couldn’t control her speed. She got much better at managing her pace, but she still had trouble stopping. She had hit the hay bales so many times that she had made Kara-shaped holes in the majority of them. 

Alex, meanwhile, just sighed, not looking up from her textbook. Why was it  _ her _ job to comfort Kara? It wasn’t her idea to stay here, nor was it her idea to share this guest room with Kara. She was given no choice in the matter and she certainly didn’t want to be the one consoling her right now when she could be doing her trig homework. Still, Alex wasn’t a  _ complete _ monster, and she knew Kara was upset.

“Yet,” she said simply. Kara tilted her head and scrunched her nose, confused. Alex sighed and sat up, looking at Kara with a raised brow and a challenging smirk. “You can’t do this  _ yet _ . It’s like… like babies learning to walk. It doesn’t come all at once and it takes time to get them to do it smoothly. You grew up somewhere completely different and now you have to earn a new language and adjust to all these new powers and learn a lifetime of cultural background. It’s a lot to learn all at once and it’s understandable that it’s going to take some time to get everything right. So, you might not be able to do it  _ yet _ , but you will. With time and hard work, you will- whoa! Easy,” Alex laughed when Kara lunged across the room, pausing slightly to check her self-control, before hugging Alex tightly, burying her head in Alex’s hair.

“Thank you,” she said softly. Alex could tell from the sound of her voice that she was probably crying. “Will you help me?”

“I- sure, Kara,” Alex said softly.

“Great!” Kara said, pulling Alex to her feet excitedly. She began to pull her shoes on and Alex just gaped, mouth opening and closing without sound.

“I didn’t mean  _ now _ , Kara!” Alex protested.

“But we’re running out of time, Alex! I want to be able to go home with you and Eliza, not stay here for extra time! I just want to be  _ normal _ , Alex! Please help me? Please?” Kara clutched her hands together in front of her chest and batted her eyelashes, lower lip quivering in a perfect imitation of Alex’s pout. Alex thinks now she understands why her dad tries to close her eyes whenever she asks him for something.

“Damnit,” she muttered under her breath. “Fine, we can go out for, like… An hour.”

“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Kara squealed, bouncing on her toes as she watched Alex pull on boots and a coat over her pajamas.

 

The next morning, the girls were practically falling asleep into their pancakes, but when Jeremiah, Jonathan, Kara, and Alex traipsed out to the backfield, the girls were grinning and giggling, proud to show off their hard work last night. The adults were astounded by Kara’s sudden progress and her ability to control her speed whenever she needed to. When Kara mentioned how Alex had stayed out for six hours until Kara had gotten it down, Eliza had pulled Alex into a hug and whispered into her hair how  _ proud _ she was that Alex was helping her sister and Jeremiah kissed her head, thanking her for being a good sister. Alex started to think that maybe- just maybe- she could get used to having a sister, even if she was weird.

Of course, if Alex had known that Kara would be using her new control over her super-speed to beat Alex into the shower every morning, she probably would have been a bit more reluctant to help Kara.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it for now, folks! I've had a lot of fun writing this series but I think I need to take a break from it. I'm calling it complete for now, but I might add to it someday, who knows. Thank you to everyone who read and commented and left kudos! It really meant a lot to me, so I'm grateful. You kept me writing even when it felt impossible to break through writer's block. If you have a prompt that you think really needs to be written, feel free to send it in, and I might get to it! Otherwise, definitely check out some of my other fics, follow me on tumblr at @lesbihonest-fic13 and have a nice day!

**Author's Note:**

> Constructive criticism please! Also, check out some of my other stuff! I'm slowly starting to accept prompts but be prepared to wait if you send one in. That being said, I'm totally open to prompts for what little Alex and Kara do and how their relationship develops. Thanks for reading! Review please!


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